WALES

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what IT projects his Department is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of  (a) the cost and  (b) the completion date of each is.

Paul Murphy: None.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on overnight accommodation by his Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.

Paul Murphy: In the last 12 months my Department has spent £24,875 on overnight accommodation for civil servants.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people aged over  (a) 55 and  (b) 60 years were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office does not require applicants for its posts to provide their dates of birth.
	This information is therefore not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Wales Office has a number of staff in post that are above the ages of  (a) 55 and  (b) 60 respectively.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Fraud

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what recent discussions the Committee has had with the Electoral Commission on its role in preventing electoral fraud.

Peter Viggers: The Speaker's Committee meets the Electoral Commission regularly to discuss the full range of its activities, including its important work to prevent electoral fraud.
	The Commission informs me that it continues to issue detailed guidance and works with returning officers, electoral registration officers, political parties, the Crown Prosecution Service and the police on strategies for preventing and detecting electoral malpractice. The Commission also continues to call for the introduction of individual electoral registration.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Marketing

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of Government-commissioned advertising in the last 12 months relating to matters falling within the remit of his Department.

Shaun Woodward: Expenditure on Government- commissioned advertising is included within the framework of the Northern Ireland Office's procurement policy which aims to achieve "best value for money" in the procurement of goods and services over the lifetime of a contract. This allows wider policy objectives to be considered in the procurement process so that it meets the tests of need, affordability and cost-effectiveness and complies with the UK's EC and international obligations.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Metal Theft

Anne McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what recent representations the Church Commissioners have received on the levels of theft of lead, copper and other materials from church roofs; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Bell: None. However, the Archbishops Council continues to work with parishes and dioceses, insurers and the police to try to solve this serious problem. By way of a statement, churches not only have to replace the stolen metals; they also have to contend with damage to masonry and timber, and other problems caused by leaking rainwater. It is a serious problem which the Church is working hard to solve.

Bats

Andrew Robathan: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what estimate the Commissioners have made of the number of cases of damage to historic churches caused by bats.

Stuart Bell: The Church of England does not hold such figures centrally but I know that the damage and hygiene issues caused by bats remain a concern for some parishes and the Archbishops Council continues to discuss it with other relevant parties.

TRANSPORT

Departmental Civil Service Agencies

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many agencies were sponsored by his Department in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 1997-98.

Geoff Hoon: The 'Next Steps Report 1997' (Cm 3889) provides information on all executive agencies as at 31 December 1997. Copies are available from the Library of the House. The present Department for Transport was established in 2002. The most up-to-date list of executive agencies is published in the Cabinet Office publication 'The List of Ministerial Responsibilities'. The latest version, incorporating recent ministerial changes, will be published shortly. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

M1: Repairs and Maintenance

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason fencing is being erected adjacent to the southbound carriageway south of junction 8 of the M1; and what the cost is of such fencing.

Paul Clark: The fencing to the south of junction 8 of the M1 is an environmental barrier and is a public inquiry commitment. 900 m of 3 m high barrier is being provided to reduce the visual impact to properties on the eastern side of the motorway.
	The cost of installing the fencing is £288,000.

Public Transport

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what official visits he and his immediate predecessor undertook using public transport in the last 12 months.

Geoff Hoon: My predecessor undertook 14 official visits using public transport in the last 12 months to the following locations: Ashford, Manchester (three times), Birmingham (three times), Heathrow Airport (twice), Bradford, Derby (twice), Brussels and La Rochelle. I have, so far, undertaken one, to Luxembourg. Her travel, and mine, will be undertaken by the most efficient and cost-effective means possible, in line with the provisions of the Ministerial Code.

Public Transport: Concessions

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timescale is for research to be carried out on the way concessionary travel is administered; who has been commissioned to undertake the research; what methodology will be followed by the researchers; and whom they intend to consult.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has commissioned WS Atkins and the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) in Leeds university to carry out research into concessionary fares reimbursement. This work should be completed by the end of 2009. The research will explore the latest evidence on the number of extra trips generated by the free national scheme, the revenue foregone by bus operators and the additional costs. The researchers will work closely with bus operators and local authorities, other stakeholders and academics.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of staff in  (a) his Department and  (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East (Mr. Watson), the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 8 October 2008,  Official  Report, columns 651-52W.

Income Support: Disabled

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new claims for income support on the grounds of incapacity for work for which the claimant did not qualify for the disability premium through income support were awarded to  (a) single persons aged under 35,  (b) single persons aged 35 to 44,  (c) single persons aged 35 to 65,  (d) couples with a claimant aged under 35,  (e) couples with a claimant aged 35 to 44 and  (f) couples with a claimant aged 35 to 65, in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

James Purnell: The available information has been placed in the Library.

National Insurance

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many national insurance numbers were issued to dependants of work permit holders in each year from 2002 to 2007;
	(2)  how many national insurance numbers have been issued to dependants of work permit holders in 2008.

Tony McNulty: A holding reply was sent on 16 October 2008.
	The requested information is not available.

Winter Fuel Payments

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which areas are covered by each weather station used to assess the temperature for the purpose of cold weather payments.

Kitty Ussher: Under the cold weather payment scheme, every residential postcode is linked to one of 76 weather stations. I have placed a table of the list of the weather stations used to collect information in order to assess entitlement to cold weather payments and the linked postcode districts in the Library.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Fraud

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Solicitor-General what criteria are applied by the  (a) Serious Fraud Office and  (b) Fraud Prosecution Service to determine whether to accept a case.

Vera Baird: The key criterion used by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) when deciding whether to accept a case is that the suspected fraud appears to be so serious or complex that its investigation should be carried out by those responsible for its prosecution.
	Other factors taken into consideration when deciding whether to accept a case are as follows:
	Whether the value of the alleged fraud exceeds £1 million;
	If the case has a significant international dimension;
	If the case is likely to be of widespread public concern;
	If the case requires highly specialised knowledge. For example, of financial markets;
	If there is a need to use the SFO's special powers, such as section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act.
	The SFO could not—and does not—take on every referred case of suspected fraud. SFO resources must be focused on major and complicated fraud. Cases which do not meet the SFO's case acceptance criteria may be referred to other authorities for investigation and prosecution.
	The Fraud Prosecution Service (FPS), which prosecutes fraud cases throughout England and Wales, accepts cases which meet one or more of the following criteria: the allegations involve a loss, or risk of loss, of more than £750,000; there is national publicity and/or widespread public concern; highly specialised knowledge is required; a significant element of the case involves inquiries in a foreign jurisdiction.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gibraltarians are serving in the UK armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Bob Ainsworth: Deployment figures are currently provided at aggregate levels based on manual returns which do not record the nationality of personnel. They are not available in central individual level databases. As such this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Army: Conditions of Employment

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the provisions of the Army Terms of Service (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2008, with reference to young people serving for four years beyond their 18th birthday; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Army Terms of Service (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2008 came into effect on 6 August 2008. The regulations brought the minimum commitment period for under 18 soldiers back into line with the provisions that existed prior to 1 January 2008, i.e. that they should serve for a minimum of four years from their 18th birthday.
	The Department has received one enquiry from an independent researcher with an interest in armed forces recruitment questioning the rationale behind the regulations.

Ballistic Missile Defence

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what direct running costs the UK has incurred to date in the use of RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales in the US Missile Defence System.

John Hutton: Running costs at RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales associated with the US Missile Defence System are not identified separately from other functions of the station. We do not anticipate the direct running costs incurred by the UK will increase because of the participation of these stations in the US ballistic missile defence system.

China: Armed Forces

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 September 2008,  Official Report, columns 2250-1W, on armed forces: training, when his Department's bilateral programme with the Chinese People's Liberation Army started; what the terms of the programme are; what other activities  (a) have taken place and  (b) are planned to take place under the programme; how much funding has been allocated for the programme in the next 12 months; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the bilateral programme agreement.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 20 October 2008
	The MOD's limited bilateral programme with China has been developing on a gradual basis since the then Prime Minister visited China in October 1998. The terms of the programme are: to maintain consistency with HMG policy and international restrictions; to limit the scope of activity; to ensure in-country control through oversight by the UK Defence Attaché, and; to conduct regular policy review. Activities include senior leadership engagement, high-level command and staff training, junior leadership training, low-level military training, exercises (observing), disaster management training, peace support operations training, benefits to the wider military and civil communities and sport. The total amount of funding allocated in support of the programme for financial year 2008-09 is £464.5,000, of which £177,000 comes from the Conflict Prevention Pool. Our complete UK/China bi-lateral programme for FY 2008-09 is subject to continuing discussion, but is expected to comprise a series of high level visits, an annual programming meeting, short term training teams and courses (including English language training) related to Peace Support Operations, a small number of places for Chinese students in defence education establishments, and limited short term exchanges of service personnel.
	I am withholding a copy of the bilateral programme agreement as its release would, or would be likely to prejudice international relations.

Cluster Munitions

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to ratify the Convention on cluster munitions within the next 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: The UK plans to sign the Convention when it opens for signature on 3 December 2008 in Oslo and will ratify as soon as feasible after that date.

Departmental Public Relations

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of  (a) entertainment,  (b) advertising and promotion and  (c) public relations consultancy to his Department in 2007-08.

Kevan Jones: Expenditure in 2007-08 by the MOD, including the armed forces on the items listed was:
	 (a) Hospitality and entertainment—£4.2 million. We report this expenditure in our Annual Report and Accounts each year.
	 (b) Advertising and public relations—£46.3 million. This represents the cost of public relations services (including sales marketing and advertising), Service and civilian recruitment expenses and expenditure on schools and community relations initiatives.
	 (c) The level of expenditure on public relations consultancy is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A summary of MOD's 2007-08 expenditure on external assistance (which includes public relations consultancy) has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The figures quoted do not include expenditure for the MOD Trading Funds which lie outside the Department's accounting boundary.
	All expenditure is subject to audit and the principles set out in Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Gulf of Aden: Piracy

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution the UK is making to efforts to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Government's stance on piracy has recently been reviewed. This has resulted in a move to a more proactive posture whereby Royal Navy (RN) units in the region will actively seek out pirates, and we have issued them with more robust guidance to deal with any pirates encountered. The RN will contribute to counter-piracy operations through three international efforts:
	The UK is already engaged in efforts to combat acts of piracy off Somalia, through the Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, which has established a Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) in the Gulf of Aden. CTF 150 units in this area, including RN vessels, are actively conducting operations to counter destabilising activities primarily aimed at deterring and disrupting acts of piracy;
	Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, including attached RN units, will also be deploying to the region with a mandate which allows them to conduct counter-piracy operations from mid-October. NATO is considering the ways in which this mandate can be implemented including the escorting of World Food Programme shipping into port in Mogadishu; and
	We have also supported EU planning for a counter-piracy naval operation off the coast of Somalia, and on 14 October the EU Political and Security Committee decided to accept the offer made by the UK to provide the Operation Commander (Rear Admiral Phil Jones) and the Operation HQ (the Multinational Headquarters at Northwood). A formal decision from the EU member states to allow planning for the operation to proceed to the next stage is expected in the coming days. The UK offer is subject to sufficient forces being generated for an operation likely to begin in December.

Gulf of Aden: Piracy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to discontinue the Royal Navy role in the Combined Task Force 150 in anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: There are currently no plans to discontinue the Royal Navy's support to Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 countering destabilising activity including piracy in the region. Rather, the Royal Navy's response to piracy in the region is being strengthened.
	The Government's stance on piracy has recently been reviewed. This has resulted in a move to a more proactive posture where Royal Navy (RN) units in the region will actively seek out pirates, and we have issued them with more robust guidance to deal with any pirates encountered. The RN will contribute to counter-piracy operations through three international efforts:
	continued support to CTF 150, which has established a Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) in the Gulf of Aden; standing NATOMaritime Group 2, including attached RN units, will also be deploying to the region with a mandate which allows them to conduct counter-piracy operations from mid-October. NATO is considering the ways in which this mandate can be implemented including the escorting of World Food Programme shipping into port in Mogadishu; and
	we have also supported EU planning for a counter-piracy naval operation off the coast of Somalia, and on 14 October the EU Political and Security Committee decided to accept the offer made by the UK to provide the Operation Commander (Rear Admiral Phil Jones) and the Operation HQ (the Multinational Headquarters at Northwood). A formal decision from the EU member states to allow planning for the operation to proceed to the next stage is expected in the coming days. The UK offer is subject to sufficient forces being generated for an operation likely to begin in December.

Nuclear Disarmament

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government is taking to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament.

John Hutton: The UK plays an active role in all international forums and treaties related to multilateral nuclear disarmament. In particular, we are working to reinforce and strengthen the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. We are pressing for the start of negotiation without pre-conditions in the Conference on Disarmament on a Fissile Material Cut-Off treaty and we continue to call all on all States that have not yet ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to do so, especially those nine for which entry into force is required.
	We are also playing a leading and innovative role in several new initiatives. Along with Norway and the non-governmental organisation VERTIC, we are undertaking research into possible technologies which may be of potential use in any future multilateral disarmament treaty or regime. We have offered to host a confidence building and technical conference between the five Nuclear Weapon States to discuss the issues surrounding multilateral nuclear disarmament. We have co-sponsored a major report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies on the technical and political requirements for a world free of nuclear weapons published in August 2008.

Ottawa Convention

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further steps the Government intends to take in order to meet the obligations of Article 5 of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.

Bob Ainsworth: The Joint Feasibility Study that we carried out with Argentina into de-mining in the Falkland Islands, completed in October 2007, concluded that clearance is technically possible but it will present significant challenges and risks.
	We therefore need to carefully consider how to proceed. The Falkland Islands Government was regularly consulted while the Feasibility Study was being carried out and any future decisions will be made in consultation with the Falkland Islands Government. In compliance with the Convention, we have therefore submitted a request for a 10 year Article 5 extension to our March 2009 clearance deadline. Our request will be considered at the ninth meeting of states parties in November 2008.
	In the meantime, in compliance with Article 5 of the Convention, the mined areas are clearly marked, fenced and regularly monitored.

RAF Croughton

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role RAF Croughton plays in the US missile defence system.

John Hutton: RAF Croughton plays no role in the US missile defence system.

Somalia: Pirates

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of the recent capture of a Ukrainian ship by pirates in Somali waters; what response he has made to these reports; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: We are aware that the MV Faina has been hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia carrying a cargo of weapons. There is no direct UK interest in this ship; it is Belize flagged, Ukrainian, Latvian and Russian crewed with a Ukrainian cargo. It is being monitored by the US Navy who are keeping us informed. No Royal Navy units are involved in the monitoring of the vessel but we are engaged in counter-piracy more generally in the region.
	The Government's stance on piracy has recently been reviewed. This has resulted in a move to a more proactive posture whereby Royal Navy (RN) units in the region will actively seek out pirates, and we have issued them with more robust guidance to deal with any pirates encountered. The RN will contribute to counter-piracy operations through three international efforts:
	The UK is already engaged in efforts to combat acts of piracy off Somalia, through the Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, which has established a Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) in the Gulf of Aden. CTF 150 units in this area, including RN vessels, are actively conducting operations to counter destabilising activities primarily aimed at deterring and disrupting acts of piracy;
	Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, including attached RN units, will also be deploying to the region with a mandate which allows them to conduct counter-piracy operations from mid-October. NATO is considering the ways in which this mandate can be implemented including the escorting of World Food Programme shipping into port in Mogadishu; and
	We have also supported EU planning for a counter-piracy naval operation off the coast of Somalia, and on 14 October the EU Political and Security Committee decided to accept the offer made by the UK to provide the Operation Commander (Rear Admiral Phil Jones) and the Operation HQ (the Multinational Headquarters at Northwood). A formal decision from the EU member states to allow planning for the operation to proceed to the next stage is expected in the coming days. The UK offer is subject to sufficient forces being generated for an operation likely to begin in December.

Territorial Army: Dental Services

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of dental treatment for members of the Territorial Army.

Kevan Jones: All members of the Territorial Army make their own personal arrangements for dental treatment when they are not mobilised. They receive dental checks from the Defence Dental Services when they are due to be mobilised for deployment and are advised of any treatment required within the next six months.
	While mobilised, members of the Territorial Army receive free dental treatment from the Defence Dental Services.

Trident Missiles

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on progress towards a successor to the D5 missile; and what role UK personnel have played in that work.

John Hutton: Neither I nor my predecessor have held any negotiations with our US counterparts on a successor to the D5 missile. As explained in the December 2006 White Paper "The Future of the UK's Nuclear Deterrent" (Cm 6994), decisions on whether we wish to acquire a successor to the life extended D5 missile, and what form any successor might take, are unlikely to be necessary until the 2020s.

USA: Military Bases

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at which bases in  (a) England,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Northern Ireland and  (d) Wales US visiting forces are based.

Bob Ainsworth: US visiting forces occupy the following bases in England, all designated as RAF bases: Alconbury, Cambridgeshire; Barford St. John, Oxfordshire; Croughton, Northants; Fairford, Gloucestershire; Feltwell, Norfolk; Lakenheath, Suffolk; Menwith Hill, North Yorkshire; Molesworth, Cambridgeshire; Upwood, Cambridgeshire; Welford, Berkshire. In addition, there is a USVF presence at the Joint Maritime Facility at St Mawgan, Cornwall. There are no USVF bases in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Warships

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many months and what percentage time each Royal Navy attack submarine in service spent  (a) on operations and  (b) in maintenance in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09 to date;
	(2)  how many months and what percentage of time each Royal Navy destroyer in service spent  (a) on operations and  (b) in maintenance in each year since 2006;
	(3)  how many months and what percentage of time each Royal Navy aircraft carrier in service spent  (a) on operations and  (b) in maintenance in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The months and percentage time spent on operations or in maintenance for the periods requested for Royal Navy carriers, destroyers and attack submarines are as follows:
	
		
			  Ark Royal 
			   Months  Percentage 
			   Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time 
			 1997 (1)0 0 0 0 
			 1998 (1)0 0 0 0 
			 1999 0 8 0 63 
			 2000 0 12 0 100 
			 2001 1 7 0 58 
			 2002 4 2 31 21 
			 2003 3 4 38 15 
			 2004 (1)0 2 0 9 
			 2005 (1)0 3 0 27 
			 2006 0 9 0 66 
			 2007 3 1 25 8 
			 2008 4 0 33 0 
			 (1) HMS Ark Royal at low readiness. 
		
	
	
		
			  Illustrious 
			   Months  Percentage 
			   Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time 
			 1997 7 3 62 11 
			 1998 3 7 26 49 
			 1999 4 4 19 23 
			 2000 3 5 40 20 
			 2001 6 4 48 4 
			 2002 3 4 23 27 
			 2003 0 12 0 100 
			 2004 (1)0 9 0 85 
			 2005 4 2 19 15 
			 2006 5 5 37 15 
			 2007 5 3 42 25 
			 2008 5 1 42 8 
			 (1) HMS Illustrious conducting post refit trials. 
		
	
	
		
			  I nvincible 
			   Months  Percentage 
			   Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time 
			 1997 5 4 42 33 
			 1998 5 3 42 25 
			 1999 5 6 42 50 
			 2000 6 4 50 33 
			 2001 1 10 8 83 
			 2002 0 12 0 100 
			 2003 4 1 33 8 
			 2004 6 5 50 42 
			 2005 3 4 25 33 
			 2006 (1)0 0 0 0 
			 2007 (1)0 0 0 0 
			 2008 (1)0 0 0 0 
			 (1) HMS Invincible at low readiness in Portsmouth. 
		
	
	
		
			  Destroyers 
			   2007  2008 
			   Months  Percentage  Months  Percentage 
			  Vessel  Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time 
			 Edinburgh 6 3 50 25 5 2 42 17 
			 Gloucester 1 9 8 75 3 3 25 25 
			 Manchester 7 4 58 33 6 3 58 25 
			 York 4 2 33 17 0 9 0 83 
			 Exeter 4 1 33 8 5 0 42 0 
			 Liverpool 1 7 8 58 8 1 75 8 
			 Nottingham 5 4 42 33 4 0 33 0 
			 Southampton 7 2 58 17 2 5 17 42 
		
	
	
		
			  Attack submarines 
			   2007  2008 
			   Months  Percentage  Months  Percentage 
			  Vessel  Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time  Op time  Main time 
			 Superb 1 8 10 64 2 4 17 46 
			 Sceptre 7 2 55 13 1 6 12 61 
			 Trafalgar 0 10 0 81 4 2 41 19 
			 Turbulent 2 7 20 57 0 9 0 100 
			 Tireless 5 4 41 29 3 5 28 54 
			 Torbay 0 11 0 92 2 4 17 39 
			 Trenchant 5 3 39 26 4 2 39 23 
			 Talent 5 3 39 22 5 2 53 18 
			 Triumph 0 12 0 100 0 9 0 100 
		
	
	The figures given for 2008 in all tables are for 1 January to 30 September 2008.
	Time not accounted for under operations and maintenance in the tables includes periods of basic sea safety training, post refit trials, periods of extended leave and other duties (such as conducting synthetic training, ammunitioning, storing) undertaken while in port.
	As I stated in my letter to the hon. Member on 5 November 2007, the figures provided are necessarily approximate because records held centrally do not always distinguish precisely between routine maintenance and other time spent alongside, since the two activities are often intermixed.

Warships

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many days each Type 42 destroyer in service spent at sea in each year since 2003;
	(2)  how many days each attack submarine in service has spent at sea in each year since 2003;
	(3)  how many days each Type  (a) 22 and  (b) 23 frigate in service spent at sea in each year since 2003.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of days at sea for Royal Navy Destroyers, Frigates and Attack Submarines since 2003 are as follows:
	
		
			  Attack Submarines 
			  Vessel  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Sovereign 108 27 52 141 01 0 
			 Spartan 103 98 181 01 0 0 
			 Splendid 164 01 0 0 0 0 
			 Superb 02 0 0 261 75 71 
			 Sceptre 176 123 149 110 217 44 
			 Trafalgar 0 95 148 128 51 156 
			 Turbulent 143 157 135 141 96 0 
			 Tireless 142 152 0 122 159 95 
			 Torbay 212 23 117 209 0 115 
			 Trenchant 104 115 146 0 185 119 
			 Talent 02 0 0 56 189 140 
			 Triumph 221 6 02 0 0 0 
			  Notes: 1. HMS Sovereign, HMS Spartan And HMS Splendid were decommissioned submarines that were running over the period. 2. The figures for HMS Superb, HMS Talent and HMS Triumph reflect their major refit periods. 
		
	
	
		
			  Destroyers 
			  Vessel  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Edinburgh 157 149 67 111 121 134 
			 Gloucester 129 131 111 141 37 75 
			 Manchester 143 118 128 47 153 132 
			 York 172 54 177 118 97 0 
			 Exeter 61 163 0 96 71 19 
			 Liverpool 188 110 154 126 63 131 
			 Nottingham 0 85 138 126 109 60 
			 Southampton 35 158 109 142 167 44 
		
	
	
		
			  Type 22 and 23 Frigates 
			  Vessel  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Argyll 91 138 157 135 143 114 
			 Lancaster 150 42 135 146 142 95 
			 Iron Duke 176 140 97 163 22 139 
			 Monmouth 117 162 114 101 170 44 
			 Montrose 24 122 165 139 152 173 
			 Westminster 70 40 135 148 92 150 
			 St Albans 121 148 98 159 41 35 
			 Northumberland 164 14 66 152 137 90 
			 Richmond 167 157 11 46 206 103 
			 Somerset 103 184 83 23 79 127 
			 Sutherland 164 120 97 141 153 0 
			 Kent 183 104 72 169 98 113 
			 Portland 160 99 125 44 184 57 
			 Cornwall 148 105 34 113 159 100 
			 Cumberland 114 178 143 66 23 78 
			 Campbeltown 128 168 137 63 159 114 
			 Chatham 180 110 128 129 94 163 
		
	
	The figures given for 2008 in all tables are for 1 January to 30 September 2008.
	These figures do not include time spent in harbour, alongside training, self maintenance and periods of leave.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Post Office Network

Paul Rowen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made on the network change programme for the post office network in Greater Manchester and High Peak.

Patrick McFadden: Following local consultations, Post Office Ltd announced its decisions on the Greater Manchester and High Peak area plan on 12 August. These confirmed that 316 branches would be retained in the area, and that four closure proposals, including Spotland Road in Rochdale, had been withdrawn. To date, 63 post office closures have been confirmed for Greater Manchester and High Peak with decisions on two other closure proposals still awaited.

Post Office Network

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made on the post office network change programme.

Patrick McFadden: Local consultations on all 42 of Post Office Ltd's area plans have closed and decisions have been announced on 41 area plans. To date, 87 closure proposals and five outreach proposals had been withdrawn in the light of responses to local consultations. Following the network change programme, on average, over 90 per cent. of customers nationally will see no change to their local post office.

Post Office Network

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance his Department gave to community groups on participating in the Post Office consultation on network change; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The arrangements for local consultation on Post Office Ltd's Network Change Programme area plans were the responsibility of the company, operating within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding agreed with Postwatch, and monitored closely by the consumer body. I understand that there was extensive participation and levels of response to the network change proposals put forward to local consultation from local authorities and other community and representative groups.

Construction Industry

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the level of activity in the construction industry.

Ian Pearson: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Scarborough and Whitby some moments ago.

Glass Industry

Eric Illsley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the competitiveness of the British glass industry; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: No such assessment has been made recently, however the most recent figures show that the glass industry contributes £1.2 billion to the UK economy, and employs around 28,000 people directly.

Business Environment: Essex

Simon Burns: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the Minister for the East of England to discuss the business environment in Essex since 1 July 2007.

Patrick McFadden: Ministers from the Department regularly meet with my hon. Friend the Minister for the East of England to discuss a range of issues.

Small Businesses

John Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to promote and protect growth in small businesses.

Ian Pearson: The Government are committed to promoting enterprise. Our policies have ensured that internationally the UK is now recognised as among the best in the world to start and grow a business. The Government are determined to build on that success. That is why we published a renewed Enterprise Strategy in March that sets out a framework of five drivers to inform and structure the Government's enterprise policy: Culture, Knowledge and Skills, Finance, Innovation and Regulation. My hon. Friend will also be aware of the package of measures to support small businesses that were announced this week.

Internet Governance Forum

Alun Michael: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to support the work of the Internet Governance Forum.

Ian Pearson: The Government are committed to ensuring the success of the multi-stakeholder Internet Governance Forum (IGF) process. We are a leading donor, with £50,000 committed to supporting the IGF Secretariat this year. The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) works in partnership with Nominet in the UK IGF, which is identifying key messages for the third IGF in Hyderabad in December. In addition to promoting the contributions of UK parliamentarians, Nominet and other UK stakeholders in Hyderabad, BERR will hold a workshop on virtual worlds for delivering public service and innovation.

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Lembit �pik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the relationship between the price of alcohol and drinking behaviour; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to regulate the sale of low-cost alcohol as a loss leader in supermarkets; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department commissioned the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), at the university of Sheffield to produce an independent review on the effects of alcohol price, promotion, consumption and harm. The review has two phases:
	Phase 1 systematically identified, appraised and synthesised international evidence on the relationship between alcohol price, promotion, consumption and harm. Summary of the first phase, published on 22 July, found significant links between price and youth and heavy drinkers but it has less of an impact on moderate and occasional drinkers; and
	Phase 2 explored the potential impact of potential policy changes in this area, especially the population-based impact on health, crime, and wider economy for the population as a whole and also with a focus on: young people under 18 who drink alcohol; 18 to 24-year-old hazardous drinkers; and, harmful drinkers whose patterns of drinking damage their physical/mental health or causes substantial harm to others.
	Findings from the review are expected to be published this year and are intended to inform understanding of retail practices, whether they are linked to excessive drinking, and whether Government intervention is likely to be proportionate and have a significant beneficial impact.

Energy: Business

David Anderson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assistance his Department makes available to help rural businesses meet energy bills.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	We have a range of support to assist rural SMEs as part of the Government's support to the SME sector as a whole. We have developed information for our Businesslink.gov portal to consolidate and provide one-stop shop advice to SMEs on energy efficiency. We intend to have measures in place by the end of this year to enable SMEs to access energy efficiency advice and support though information and services provided by all energy suppliers. The Carbon Trust offers a range of interest-free energy efficiency loans and advice.

Retail Trade

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the future competitiveness of the retail sector.

Gareth Thomas: Assessments of the competitiveness of different parts of the retail sector are undertaken from time to time including in the recent Competition Commission investigation into the grocery sector.
	It is clear that the grocery sector is still a strong, competitive market. Other parts of the retail sector are facing tougher times.
	We are continuing to work through what farther action, Government can take to help all businesses through the current economic downturn.

Small Businesses: Economic Situation

Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department is taking to protect small businesses in the current economic climate; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Small businesses are central to the UK economy and the Government are fully committed to supporting business at this critical time.
	We have committed to pay firms within 10 days, and to ensure banks make funds available to small businesses.
	We also announced this week:
	An enhanced training offer through Train to Gain;
	Free Health Checks through Business Link; and
	New finance guides with the Institute of Credit Management.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Relations: Islam

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 989W, on terrorism, what progress has been made on point 11 of the 12-point plan of 5 August 2005 in respect of consulting Muslim leaders with regard to those clerics who are not British citizens to draw up a list of those not suitable to preach who will be excluded from the UK.

Sadiq Khan: holding answer 17 October 2008
	On progress against the 12-point plan, I refer the hon. Member again to the update provided by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 1 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1594W. This sets out that all counter-terrorism work has now been subsumed into the United Kingdom's long-term strategy for countering terrorism (the CONTEST strategy).
	On point 11 in the 12-point plan, I refer the hon. Member again to the statement made by the then Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke) on 15 December 2005,  Official Report, columns 167-71WS. No further action was taken in respect of drawing up a list of 'clerics' to be excluded from the UK.
	Since August 2005, 79 individuals have been excluded from the UK on the basis that they have engaged in unacceptable behaviours. The statistics are not broken down according to the professional background of the individuals concerned. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, East and Saddleworth (Mr. Woolas) on 20 October 2008,  Official Report, column 14W.

Council Housing: South West

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authority-owned, non-decent dwellings there were in  (a) the South West and  (b) Stroud district in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: The Department collects figures on local authority non-decent homes through the published annual Business Plan Statistical Appendix. According to the latest returns available, the number of non-decent local authority homes as at 1 April 2007 in South West England as a whole was 27,128 (22 per cent. of stock). The figure for Stroud was 510 (10 per cent. of stock). The regional figure includes non-decent homes in local authorities which had established an arm's length management organisation to manage their homes.

Council Tax

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much council tax liability was written off by local authorities in each year since 1985; and what proportion of council tax liability this represented in each such year.

John Healey: Details of the amount of council tax expected to be collected within the year by local authorities in England since 2002-03 (in  millions), the amount of council tax written off each year, and the proportion of the amount to be collected this represents are shown in the following table. The data are reported annually by all billing authorities and were first collected in 2002-03.
	
		
			   Amount of council tax to be collected ( million)  Amount written off ( million)  Proportion of council tax to be collected written off (percentage) 
			 2002-03 14,624 109 0.75 
			 2003-04 16,574 133 0.80 
			 2004-05 17,730 137 0.77 
			 2005-06 18,576 130 0.70 
			 2006-07 19,554 134 0.69 
			 2007-08 20,609 159 0.73 
		
	
	The amounts written off relate to council tax payable for both the current year and for previous years.
	Some authorities net off against write-offs moneys collected that had previously been written off. This can result in a negative total figure for amounts written off in a particular year.

Council Tax

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of council tax liability was not collected by local authorities in England in each year since 1985.

John Healey: Details of the percentage of council tax liability collected in year by local authorities in England, since the introduction of council tax in 1993-94 and 2006-07, are available in table 2.2m of Local Government Financial Statistics No 18 2008 which is available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/stats/lgfs/2008/lgfs18/
	Data for 2007-08 were published in a Statistical Release on 18 June 2008 and are available at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/ctax/cp078.htm.
	Collection of council taxes continues once the financial year to which they relate has ended. This means that the percentage collected will eventually be higher than the figure shown.

Council Tax

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average Band D council tax increase was in England in each year since 1985.

John Healey: Details of the average Band D council tax increase in England since the introduction of council tax in 1993-94, are available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/ctax/data/ctaxtimes.xls

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent on overnight accommodation by her Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.

Sadiq Khan: For the 12-month period from October 2007 to September 2008 the amount spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants in the Department for Communities and Local Government, excluding Government offices, departmental agencies and NDPBs, was 482,887.

Departmental Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many civil servants working in her Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over 1 million.

Sadiq Khan: It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than board members whose details are shown in the remuneration report in annual resource accounts. A copy of Communities and Local Government's resource accounts for financial year 2007-8 can be found in the Library or accessed electronically using the following link
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc0708/hc07/0791/0791.pdf

Deprivation Indicators

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2008,  Official Report, column 313W, on the index of deprivation, whether distance calculations were  (a) made by the Oxford University researchers producing the report and  (b) contained within the primary source data.

John Healey: The distance calculations were made by the University of Oxford using point data from the primary data source and population weighted centroid data from the Office for National Statistics.

Government Offices for the Regions

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to the public purse of the Government Offices for the Regions was in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Sadiq Khan: The administrative cost to the public purse of the Government offices for the regions was 137,803,159 in 2006-07 and 122,293,471 in 2007-08.

Government Offices for the Regions: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total programme budget managed or influenced by Government Offices for the Regions  (a) was in 2007-08 and  (b) is in 2008-09 according to the Network Corporate Plan.

Sadiq Khan: Programme expenditure is the responsibility of each of the sponsor Departments and the GO Network no longer retains annual records of this. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Julia Goldsworthy) on 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2782W, which provided the programme spend breakdown for 2006-07.

Green belt

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1393W, on the green belt, what her reasons were for approving the Regional Spatial Strategy's proposals to review and develop on the green belt.

Iain Wright: Once the general extent of a green belt has been approved, it should be altered only in exceptional circumstances. However, it is good practice to check, from time to time, that the extent of a particular green belt is still appropriate and justified. The Regional Spatial Strategy is the appropriate vehicle for this.
	In general terms, if any alteration is proposed, the Secretary of State will wish to be satisfied that the relevant local planning authority has considered opportunities for development in the urban areas contained by, and beyond, the green belt. National planning policy is a consideration throughout the process, including, especially, Planning Policy Guidance Note 2: Green Belts.
	Detailed changes to a green belt boundary would be a matter for the local planning authority through the development plan process. The guidance states that boundaries should not be changed unless alterations to the Regional Spatial Strategy have been approved, or other exceptional circumstances make revision necessary.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 37-39WS, on home information packs, in what ways her Department will seek to enhance the current product and quality of the pack.

Iain Wright: The consultation published on 22 July set out our proposals to improve the information provided to consumers as part of the home information pack. A copy of the consultation was placed in the Library of the House.

Home Information Packs

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 322W, on home information packs, how many penalty charge notices have been issued to the responsible person for breaches of home information pack duties to date.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 229W.

Homelessness

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many householders have presented themselves to a local authority as homeless in England in each year since 1985; and how many of those presented following  (a) mortgage repayment difficulties and  (b) rental arrears in each such year.

Iain Wright: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level. Data collected includes all decisions made on applications by eligible applicants, and the number of applicants accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). These households are known as 'accepted' households.
	The following table shows the total number of decisions from 1991 to 2007, on applications from households eligible for assistance under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts.
	
		
			  Total number of decisions made by English local housing authorities under the 1985 and 1996 Housing Act on applications from eligible households( 1) ,  1991  to  2007 
			   Total decisions 
			 1991 301,620 
			 1992 305,640 
			 1993 288,250 
			 1994 269,630 
			 1995 271,500 
			 1996 263,900 
			 1997 242,340 
			 1998 245,350 
			 1999 243,290 
			 2000 247,190 
			 2001 255,080 
			 2002 269,330 
			 2003 296,970 
			 2004 281,460 
			 2005 227,260 
			 2006 168,530 
			 2007 137,690 
			 (1) Decisions on applications from households eligible for assistance under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Act. 
		
	
	Information on decisions by reason for loss of last settled home (which includes mortgage arrears and rent arrears) is not held centrally. However this information is held for accepted households and this is provided back to 1997 in our quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness (table 5), which is published on our website and placed in the Library each quarter.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/corporate/xls/963636.xls

Housing Companies: Reorganisation

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether directors of the Homes and Communities Agency who are also employed by  (a) the Housing Corporation and  (b) English Partnership will receive remuneration for both roles until the formal amalgamation of the organisations has been completed.

Iain Wright: Directors of the Homes and Communities Agency who are currently employed by either the Housing Corporation or English Partnership will only receive remuneration for their substantive position. When they take up their posting in the HCA, once vesting has occurred, they will be remunerated by that organisation.

Housing Companies: Reorganisation

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff are employed by  (a) the Housing Corporation and  (b) English Partnerships; and how many of these staff she expects to be retained by the Homes and Communities Agency.

Iain Wright: At 1 October, English Partnerships had an establishment of 610 full-time equivalents (FTEs), with 501 staff in post (FTEs). At 1 October, Housing Corporation had an establishment of 556.6 FTEs, with 497 staff in post (FTEs). At Vesting day, the Homes and Communities Agency will inherit 276 staff from the Housing Corporation and the Tenant Services Authority will inherit 250 staff.
	In addition to the aforementioned numbers, the Homes and Communities Agency will have 58 posts from CLG and 30 posts from the Academy of Sustainable Communities.
	A very small number of staff have decided not to transfer to either the HCA or TSA, and will therefore leave either English Partnerships or the Housing Corporation before the new agencies are created.

Housing: Low Incomes

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the public funding available for the provision of affordable housing in the next three years is ring-fenced for such provision in rural areas in  (a) Stafford constituency,  (b) the West Midlands region and  (c) England.

Iain Wright: The Housing Corporation has been set a national target to provide 10,300 affordable homes in smaller rural communities. The Housing Corporation's investment partners can bid for grant funding from the National Affordable Housing Programme. Grant will be allocated to those schemes which meet the needs of local people, the regional strategy and demonstrate strong value for money.
	The allocations made to date for units to be completed during 2008-11 for settlements below 3,000 is in  (a) Staffordshire (Newcastle-under-Lyme, South Staffordshire and Stafford local authorities): 1.6 million for 27 social rent units and 26 LCHO units,  (b) the West Midlands region is 10 million for 208 social rent units and 137 LCHO units and  (c) England is 153 million for 3,520 social rent units and 1,572 LCHO units.

Housing: Overcrowding

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1098-1100W, on housing: overcrowding, what estimate she has made of the number of households living in overcrowded conditions in each local authority area.

Iain Wright: Estimates of overcrowding for individual local authorities are not routinely available because sample sizes at local authority level are too small. However, the results of a one-off model are available based on a combination of three years' data from both the Survey of English Housing and DWP's Family Resources Survey for 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03. Based on this model, estimates of the percentages of households in various local authorities that were overcrowded during the three-year period 2000-01 to 2002-03 are set out in table 1 of the publication at the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/overcrowding

Housing: Private Finance Initiative

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment she has made of the effect of current economic conditions on the financial position of private finance initiative housing schemes.

Iain Wright: My Department is monitoring the situation and working closely with all PFI schemes to help support them in finding solutions where difficulties arise. If a local authority were to approach this Department with concerns about a scheme, we would provide advice and support as appropriate.

Housing: Valuation

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the capital value of  (a) housing association and  (b) council housing stock in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 229W.

Local Government Finance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much public funding was provided to  (a) Stroud District Council and  (b) Gloucestershire County Council in (i) non-formula funding and (ii) formula grant in each of the last four financial years.

John Healey: The amount of non-formula funding and formula grant provided to Stroud district council and Gloucestershire county council in each of the last four financial years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  000 
			   (a) Stroud district council  (b) Gloucestershire county council 
			   (i) Non-formula funding  (ii) Formula grant  (i) Non-formula funding  (ii) Formula grant 
			 2004-05 875 5,420 115,483 329,643 
			 2005-06 1,415 5,600 112,194 352,373 
			 2006-07 2,130 6,459 377,490 92,747 
			 2007-08(1) 1,885 6,792 430,799 95,155 
			 (1) Provisional  Source: Communities and Local Government Revenue Outturn (RO) returns 
		
	
	Figures are as supplied by the local authority to Communities and Local Government.
	The estimates for 2007-08 are based on provisional revenue outturn data. The final 2007-08 outturn figures will be available later this year.
	Non-formula funding is defined here as specific grants inside aggregate external finance (AEF), i.e. revenue grants paid for a council's core services (e.g. Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG)).
	Formula grant is defined here as the sum of revenue support grant and redistributed non-domestic rates.
	Figures exclude grants outside AEF (i.e. where funding is for an authority's core services, but is passed to a third party, for example, rent allowances and rebates), capital grants, funding for the local authority's housing management responsibilities and those grant programmes (such as European funding) where an authority is simply one of the recipients of funding paid towards an area.
	The large change in non-formula funding and formula grant from 2005-06 to 2006-07 is because local authorities now receive funding for schools through DSG rather than as part of formula grant.
	Comparisons across years may not be valid owing to changing local authority responsibilities.

Local Government: Bank Services

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities and other public institutions for which she has responsibility hold accounts in Icelandic banks; and how much is held by each institution in such banks.

John Healey: In relation to local authorities, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1577W, to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles)
	The Audit Commission issued a statement on 16 October on its deposits in Icelandic banks, which is on its website at:
	www.audit-commission.gov.uk
	Officials have contacted agencies, public corporations and non-departmental public bodies for which Communities and Local Government has responsibility and, excepting the Audit Commission, we are not aware of any that have investments in Icelandic banks.

Local Government: By-elections

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to make an order moving the date of the local elections in 2009; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made to the House on 7 October 2009,  Official Report, column 8WS.

Local Government: Elections

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether there are restrictions on local authorities using their powers as laid under Part 2 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 to change the timing of their elections, other than the provisions laid out in the primary legislation.

John Healey: There are no restrictions on local authorities using their powers under part 2 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 to change their scheme of elections, other than those laid out in primary legislation by Parliament.

New Milton Sand and Ballast

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will extend the deadline for responses to her Department in respect of the appeal by New Milton Sand and Ballast to the High Court under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (reference: 82483).

Sadiq Khan: The deadline has been extended to 7 November, in response to a request from local campaign groups who sought more time to formulate their response.

Ordnance Survey: Manpower

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff were employed by Ordnance Survey in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: The number of permanent staff employed at Ordnance Survey in either a full or part-time capacity on 31 March in each of the 10 years to 2008 was as follows:
	
		
			   Staff 
			 1999 1,864 
			 2000 1,852 
			 2001 1,848 
			 2002 1,790 
			 2003 1,467 
			 2004 1,485 
			 2005 1,433 
			 2006 1,397 
			 2007 1,362 
			 2008 1,357

Planning Permission

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she has provided to local authorities on the time it should take to  (a) investigate planning transgressions and  (b) implement planning enforcement where necessary.

Iain Wright: Guidance on the timing of investigations into allegations of unauthorised development and on the timing of enforcement procedures is given in the Department's publication Enforcing Planning Control: Good Practice for Local Planning Authorities.
	Paragraph 2.3 of this document recommends that in investigating complaints concerning unauthorised development, a local planning authority should respond to a complaint within 15 working days, explaining what action the authority proposes to take and tell the complainant about the local planning authority's decision to make formal enforcement action within 10 working days of the authority's making that decision.
	Paragraphs 5.19-5.25 deal with sections 173-174 of the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) 1990 concerning the date on which a planning enforcement notice takes effect and the compliance period for the taking of any remedial action required by the enforcement notice. The provisions of the TCPA 1990 require that the service of an enforcement notice shall not take place less than 28 days before the date on which it is to take effect. But the guidance indicates that it may be prudent to allow a margin of several days above this minimum period so as to ensure that all interested parties receive the notice not less than 28 days before the effective date. The compliance period should be as short as can reasonably be allowed and it should not normally exceed one year. But it will be for the LPA to decide on how long it should be depending on the complexity of the case.

Planning Permission: Castle Point

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on the number of planning enforcement files open and awaiting action by Castle Point borough council; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Secretary of State has received no representations concerning planning enforcement cases being dealt with by Castle Point borough council. It is for the local planning authority to decide in each case which is the most appropriate course of action, taking account of local circumstances. PPG 18, Enforcing Planning Control offers guidance to local planning authorities on enforcement issues and gives them a wide range of discretion. Paragraph 5(1) states
	Parliament has given local planning authorities the primary responsibility for taking whatever enforcement action may be necessary, in the public interest, in their administrative area.
	The 2006 planning enforcement review confirmed that local planning authorities had sufficient enforcement powers to deal with breaches of planning control.

Planning: Enforcement

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received from local authorities on the likely effect of the provisions of Clause 151 of the Planning Bill, if enacted, on their ability to take enforcement action following complaints regarding alleged statutory nuisance by major infrastructure project developers.

John Healey: We have received representations from LACORS (local authority co-ordinators of regulatory services), among other stakeholders, on the likely effect of the provisions of what was Clause 151 of the Planning Bill.
	The Government tabled amendments to remove Clause 151 from the Planning Bill, and insert provisions in its place that maintain the current balanced settlement. They allow development of nationally significant infrastructure to go forward while nevertheless ensuring that individuals are able to receive compensation for the effect on their land. These amendments were accepted during House of Lords Committee stage.

Regional Ministers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated cost to the public purse is of the work of regional ministers annually; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: The estimated cost of the work of the regional Ministers over the last year is 1.173 million. This figure includes Government office and departmental staff supporting these Ministers in their regional role. It does not cover any further costs incurred by the Ministers' home Departments as the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Rented Housing: Carbon Monoxide

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate her Department has made of the number of  (a) privately rented student accommodation or houses,  (b) student halls of residence and  (c) residential care homes which are not fitted with carbon monoxide alarms;
	(2)  what representations her Department has received on introducing a mandatory requirement for carbon monoxide alarms to be fitted in all forms of rented accommodation.

Iain Wright: The Department does not hold information in relation to the number of homes that are not fitted with carbon monoxide alarms.
	The Department receives a large number of representations in relation to housing and health some of which relate to carbon monoxide alarms.
	There are no current requirements to install carbon monoxide monitors in privately rented properties. However, we are keen to promote good practice and landlords' organisations are already engaged on safety issues and are involved in the promotion of good practice to their members.
	Landlords are responsible for maintaining their properties, including the safety of gas and electrical appliances and the fire safety of furniture and furnishings provided under the tenancy. All private landlords are required by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 to ensure that all gas appliances are maintained in good order and that an annual gas safety check is carried out by a CORGI-registered tradesman.

Taxis: Licensing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what  (a) time period and  (b) jurisdictions are covered by Criminal Records Bureau checks on (i) British and (ii) foreign national applicants for taxi licences.

Sadiq Khan: Communities and Local Government has no responsibility for these matters. The licensing of taxis is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. The Criminal Records Bureau is an Executive agency of the Home Office.

Travelling People: Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers the regional development agencies will have in respect of regional planning for Traveller camps from 2010.

Iain Wright: We have yet to issue our response to the consultation on the Review of Sub National Economic Development and Regeneration which included proposals to streamline arrangements at regional level. We do not intend to pre-empt our response by making statements about specific aspects of regional strategy or governance arrangements.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Carbon Emissions: Allotments

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the relationship between the use of allotments and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	No assessment has been made of the relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and allotments.

Carbon Emissions: Public Bodies

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of annual carbon dioxide emissions arising from bodies recognised as public corporations by the Office for National Statistics; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	DECC does not hold disaggregated data on CO2 emissions from public corporations.
	Greenhouse gas emissions for all sectors of the economy can be found in the Environmental Accounts section of the Office for National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk =5695More=Y

Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2715W, on the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture (CEFAS): finance, how much he intends to allocate to CEFAS in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: There have been no formal changes to the response provided on 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2715W.

Climate Change

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has re-assessed any of its UK flood mapping timelines in view of the accelerated rate of Arctic summer ice melt of 2007-08 and its significance for the melting of the Greenland ice cap.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	Recent research findings from the Met Office and the Environment Agency for the Thames Estuary 2100 project indicate that higher ranges for sea level rise are broadly in line with DEFRA's October 2006 published guidance to operating authorities.
	DECC is expecting a new set of climate change scenarios from the UK Climate Impacts Partnership (UKCIP) in spring 2009, which will give a better understanding of the uncertainties associated with future sea level rise. DECC will be working closely with UKCIP and other delivery bodies to understand the risks and review policy guidance.
	UK research is aimed at improving the representations of ice sheets in climate models and understanding future changes in ice sheet volume and sea level. Early indications suggest that changes in ice sheet volumes could bring a significant contribution to sea level rise. However, further research is needed to shed more light on the risks. DEFRA and DECC will continue to work closely with our science networks to better understand these risks.

Departmental Public Participation

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what  (a) listening exercises and  (b) public forums his Department has held in each of the last two years; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) cost was in each case; and who the private contractor was and how much it was paid in each case.

Hilary Benn: DEFRA has held one major listening exercise in the last two years. The Citizen's Summit on Climate Change in May 2007 was managed entirely through the Central Office of Information at a total cost of 440,791. These costs were in line with exercises of a similar scale and scope.
	The principal objectives and benefits included:
	Informing public consultation for the Climate Change Bill;
	Talking about the early stages of the Act on C02 campaign to raise public awareness and help citizens to engage with climate change;
	Allowing Government, industry and the public to engage in informed dialogue on climate change;
	Informing the development of a broader, longer term marketing campaign.
	The summit itself was the culmination of a longer term deliberative research process with a representative sample of the population. Members of the public were recruited from across the country, exposed to all sides of the debate and asked about their attitudes and behaviour on climate change.
	The final event was a major participative exercise involving the then Secretary of State, the heads of the CBI, TUC and the NCC, policy officials and around 160 members of the public. The event was covered by the media and broadcast over the internet. A full research report was produced and published to capture the key learning from the exercise. This was fed into the formal consultation process of the Climate Change Bill.
	The survey of those who participated indicated:
	Very high satisfaction with the process;
	89 per cent. said that the process had been very important;
	Levels of feeling better informed about climate change doubled during the process, as did levels of personal engagement with the issue (I am personally making a lot of effort from 31 per cent. to 62 per cent.);
	The process informed the development of the 'Footprint' creative device for the Act on C02 advertising campaign. More than 50 per cent. of those who saw the first phase of this activity said that they had or planned to take action as a result of the campaign.

Insulation: Housing

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library the details of the assumptions behind his policy on encouraging savings in household bills from home insulation.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	The assumptions behind Government policy are based on the findings of the two following reports, both of which are available on the website of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
	Measurement of energy savings and comfort levels in houses receiving insulation upgrades, Martin and Watson, Energy Monitoring Company, June 2006.
	Review of Differences between Measured and Theoretical Energy Savings for Insulation Measures, Sanders and Phillipson, Centre for Research on Indoor Climate and Health, December 2006.
	Assumptions from these reports have been used to update the Building Research Establishment's BREDEM model for domestic energy usage and to calculate energy savings for the following measures.
	The energy savings were converted into cost savings for a standard three-bedroom semi-detached house with gas-dominated heating on a standard heating pattern and energy pricing assumed a price of 3.8p per kWh of energy saved for gas and 13p per kWh for electricity, based on consumer tariffs available in September 2008.
	
		
			  Illustrative value of core measures and annual energy bill savings 
			   
			   Cavity wall insulation  Loft insulation (from empty)  Loft insulation (top-up) 
			 Estimated installation costs(1) 500 500 500 
			 Annual fuel bill savings per household 150 100 30 
			 (1) Estimated average overall installation costs to consumer and energy supplier under Carbon Emissions Reduction Target scheme, as published by the Energy Saving Trust.

Ivory

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of China on that country's involvement in the ivory trade; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: A number of discussions took place between officials about China's involvement in the ivory trade in the lead up to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Standing Committee meeting, held during July 2008 in Geneva.

Seas and Oceans: Nature Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the EU Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on whether the UK is empowered to curtail fishing effort in marine conservation zones in UK waters.

Huw Irranca-Davies: A range of formal and informal discussions take place with the Commissioner on a regular basis covering a wide range of issues. Through these means the Commissioner is kept abreast of developments taking place in the United Kingdom.

Taxis

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was claimed in expenses for taxi travel by officials from  (a) his Department and  (b) its executive agencies in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2005-06, (iii) 2004-05, (iv) 2003-04 and (v) 2002-03; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: From information held centrally by the core-Department's financial system the VAT inclusive expenditure on taxis for the financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08 is as follows:
	
		
			
			 2006-07 268,103.95 
			 2007-08 346,457.63 
		
	
	DEFRA's total departmental spending in 2007-08 was some 3.7 billion. Information for financial years prior to 2006-07 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department requires any use of taxis to be appropriate to business needs, represent value for money and follow civil service rules for the use of money.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of written questions for answer on a named day his Department has answered on the due date in the current Session of Parliament to date.

Huw Irranca-Davies: As at 9 October 2008, we had received a total of 841 named day questions, and we answered 333 on the due date. This equates to approximately 40 per cent.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps will need to be taken for the EU to achieve a 30 per cent. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020 from a 1990 baseline.

Joan Ruddock: It will be for EU member states to decide how they best meet their EU commitments in the event of a 30 per cent. greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target. However, this will require a reduction in the EU-wide cap in the EU Emissions Trading System. In addition, the Government already have a wide range of policies in place, including those in the 2006 Climate Change Programme and 2007 Energy White Paper. The framework of binding carbon budgets that the Climate Change Bill establishes will ensure we continue to keep under review the policies and measures needed to meet both our domestic obligations under the Bill and our share of a 30 per cent. European target.

Carbon Emissions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the percentage of greenhouse gas emissions reductions which should be delivered through the Clean Development Mechanism or Joint Implementation under EU climate change measures.

Joan Ruddock: The UK Government would like to see project credit access in both the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and greenhouse gas (GHG) effort-share limited to 50 per cent. of absolute effort (in the context of the overarching principle that 50 per cent. of absolute emissions reductions from 2005 must take place within the EU). This, we consider, maintains the correct balance between domestic (EU) abatement, EU leadership on climate change and the cost-effectiveness of the EU's climate change package.

Carbon Emissions

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to publish a revised impact assessment relating to the Climate Change Bill to take account of the amended target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent.

Joan Ruddock: An updated Impact Assessment for the Climate Change Bill will be published following Royal Assent, and will reflect the final content of the Bill.

Carbon Emissions

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether emissions from  (a) aircraft,  (b) shipping and  (c) cement manufacture are included in (a) the targets to be set in the Climate Change Bill for reductions by (i) 2020 and (ii) 2050 and (b) in the target to reduce emissions by 20 per cent. below the 1990 level by 2010.

Joan Ruddock: Emissions from domestic aviation and shipping, and from cement manufacture in the UK, will be included in the Climate Change Bill's 2050 and 2020 targets. They are also included for the purposes of assessing progress towards the Government's goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. against a 1990 baseline by 2010. Emissions from international aviation and shipping are not included in either the Bill's targets, or the 2010 goal.

Climate Change: Research

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how much the Government have spent on research into climate change since 1997;
	(2)  how much the Government have provided by way of grants or subsidies to organisations, companies and people involved in climate change research in each financial year since 1998.

Joan Ruddock: The UK's leading role in delivering climate change policy has been built on its world-leading research and the Government are committed to continuing support in this area. The Government support research into a wide range of climate change issues, including climate change science and innovations for mitigation and adaptation, but no centrally-collated figures are available for total expenditure.
	The majority of Government expenditure in climate change research is provided through the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). NERC receives funding from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). NERC's funding of climate change research in 2007-08 was about 28 per cent. of its net spend of 389 million, approximately 109 million. In addition, universities also invest funding received from the Higher Education Funding Councils, some of which is invested in this area.
	DEFRA's total expenditure on climate change research (including projects of a cross-cutting nature which are of relevance to climate change) over the last six years was 132.8 million (13.7 million in 2002-03, 17.7 million in 2003-04, 22.0 million in 2004-05, 23.7 million in 2005-06, 24.7 million in 2006-07, and 31.0 million in 2007-08). Figures for earlier years are not readily available.

Energy Savings Trust

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many of the directors of the Energy Savings Trust are from energy producing organisations.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 13 October 2008
	The Energy Saving Trust currently has four non-executive directors who are from energy producing organisations.

Energy Savings Trust

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what system is in place for ensuring that the Code for Sustainable Homes and the Code of Practice operated by the Energy Savings Trust give appropriate weight to innovative gas saving products.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 13 October 2008
	The Energy Saving Trust does not operate the Code for Sustainable Homes, it is the responsibility of Communities and Local Government.
	The Energy Saving Trust operates the Domestic Energy Efficiency Advice Code of Practice. This does not specify the absolute weight to be given to advice on any particular class of product or service; rather it emphasises that advice must be based upon, and relevant to, the requirements and circumstances of the recipient.

Fuels: Trade Competitiveness

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure a competitive market for petrol and diesel.

Mike O'Brien: The Government are committed to the operation of competitive markets, as the most efficient way of ensuring supply. The supply of transport fuels is a commercial matter, which is subject to UK competition law under the Competition Act 1998. The regulation of supply of transport fuels to consumers is therefore the responsibility of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), who continue to monitor the UK petrol market to ensure that these markets remain competitive.

Industrial Diseases

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the reliability of the medical assessment procedure in assessing claims under the coal miners' compensation scheme.

Mike O'Brien: Respiratory specialists and experienced medical practitioners undertake medical assessments in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger respectively. It is important to take steps to ensure consistency of diagnosis and this is done by providing training specific to each condition and also by auditing the Medical Assessment Process assessments. Specialists are trained to understand each assessment form and its objectives to establish the level of disability caused by chronic pulmonary disease or vibration white finger, assess the impact of any other condition and calculate how much of the disability is due to working in coal mines. Required qualifications for the specialist are set out in each claims handling agreement.
	Processes are in place, agreed between both the claimants' solicitors and the Department, to facilitate the independent auditing of the medical assessment process. The audits are carried out firstly by the lead doctor (who delivers the training) and then by the Medical Reference Panel. The audits are done on a monthly basis and look at a sample of six reports from each respiratory specialist or experienced medical practitioner.
	A quality review is undertaken by an independent organisation for medical assessments conducted under the Coal Health Compensation schemes. The Medical Review Panel is also available if any solicitor wish to dispute the medical findings in particular claims.

University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the Government have provided by way of grants or subsidies to the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit in each financial year since 1998.

Joan Ruddock: The Natural Environment Research Council, which receives funding from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), has made grants and awards to the University of East Anglia, but figures specifically for the Climatic Research Unit are not available.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Airports: Biometrics

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the compulsory  (a) fingerprinting,  (b) iris scanning and  (c) photographing of (i) UK and (ii) other passengers at UK airports.

Phil Woolas: Taking biometrics allows UKBA to fix and verify a person's identity, allowing a more informed decision about a person's eligibility and entitlement to enter the UK.
	Under current policy, an authorised person has powers to require any arriving passenger, regardless of claimed nationality, to provide biometrics in the form of fingerprints and a photograph of their face at all ports of entry, including airports, for the purpose of ascertaining whether a passport or other document is genuine and relates to the person being examined. This may sometimes require both UK and other nationals to provide fingerprints and photographs to enable the UKBA to verify their identity and nationality.
	The UK Border Agency will not store the biometric features of British citizens and EEA nationals.
	Compulsory fingerprints and facial photographs are required from all visa applicants before arrival in the UK, and we are committed to extending this requirement, so that all foreign nationals from outside the European economic area register their fingerprints and facial photograph before crossing the border.

Antisocial Behaviour

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding has been allocated to tackling antisocial behaviour in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England and Wales in each year since the inception of such programmes.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office has not allocated any direct funding to tackle antisocial behaviour in Jarrow which falls within South Tyneside local authority. Home Office funding allocated to the North East including South Tyneside can be found in the following table.
	Between 2003-04 and 2007-08, the Home Office made 34.4 million available in each year specifically and solely to tackle antisocial behaviour. This includes funding for the TOGETHER, then Respect Programmes respectively and a grant for antisocial behaviour co-ordinators.
	The antisocial behaviour co-ordinator funding has been renewed for the period 2008-11, and the Home Office contribution to ABG in England amounts to some 61 million, with 3 million available for Wales in each year (the same in cash terms as in 2007-08).
	The antisocial behaviour co-ordinator funding forms part of the unringfenced Area Based Grant (ABG) in England. The position in Wales is slightly different, whereby the funding for Community Safety Partnerships has been consolidated into the Crime Reduction and Anti-Social Behaviour National Resource Grant. In both England and Wales, it is for local partnerships to agree how the grants received should be allocated against locally determined priorities, including antisocial behaviour.
	There are many funding streams that impact on antisocial behaviour. A more detailed account can be found in the report by the National Audit Office Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (HC99 2006-07, December 2006). Other Home Office led activities also act to tackle antisocial behaviour, for example the introduction of community support officers, but a monetary value cannot be assigned to that contribution. Similarly, other Government Departments fund services that directly bear upon antisocial behaviour. For example the Crown Prosecution Service provides a network of specialist antisocial behaviour prosecutors, and Her Majesty's Court Service provides specialist antisocial behaviour response courts. There are many other programmes and services that contribute, sometimes indirectly, to tackling antisocial behaviour, including diversionary activities for young people, action against enviro-crime such as fly-tipping, neighbourhood wardens, as well as neighbourhood policing and neighbourhood management. A more detailed account can be found in the report of, and evidence to, the Home Affairs Select Committee's report on antisocial behaviour (Fifth Report, Session 2004-05, HC80).
	
		
			   
			   Financial year  Total 
			  Area  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  
			 Middlesbrough 71,500 132,314 388,060 591,874 
			 Newcastle 84,232 252,411 445,000 781,643 
			 South Tyneside 15,000 199,423 345,000 559,423 
			 Sunderland 196,030 282,698 521,993 1,000,721 
			 Darlington  77,208 268,000 345,208 
			 Derwentside   190,000 190,000 
			 Easington 53,000 60,954 115,000 228,954 
			 Hartlepool  99,068 195,000 294,068 
			 Redcar and Cleveland   315,000 315,000 
			 Gateshead 53,000 60,000 175,000 288,000

Asylum: Sudan

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sudanese nationals have been refused asylum in the UK in each of the last 12 months; and how many are awaiting a decision on an asylum application.

Phil Woolas: The following table gives the most recently published figures available and shows the total number of refusals for Sudanese nationals, following initial decisions between July 2007 and June 2008.
	The published figure for asylum applications split by nationality for people awaiting an initial decision is not available as the figures are based on an overall manual count which is not broken down into separate categories.
	Information on asylum is published annually and quarterly. Annual statistics for 2007 and quarterly statistics for 2008 are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Asylum refusals on initial decisions( 1, 2)  in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants July 2007 to June 2008 by month, nationals of Sudan 
			  Sudan  Total refusals 
			  2007  
			 July 30 
			 August 20 
			 September 15 
			 October 10 
			 November 15 
			 December 15 
			   
			  2008  
			 January 10 
			 February 10 
			 March 15 
			 April 5 
			 May 15 
			 June 10 
			 (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5. (2) Provisional figures.

Asylum: Zimbabwe

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Zimbabwean nationals were refused asylum in the UK in each of the last 12 months; and how many are awaiting a decision on an asylum application.

Phil Woolas: The following table gives the most recently published figures available and shows the total number of refusals for Zimbabwean nationals, following initial decisions between July 2007 and June 2008.
	The published figure for asylum applications split by nationality for people awaiting an initial decision is not available as the figures are based on an overall manual count which is not broken down into separate categories.
	Information on asylum is published annually and quarterly. Annual Statistics for 2007 and quarterly statistics for 2008 are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Asylum refusals on initial decisions( 1, 2)  in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants July 2007 to June 2008 by month, nationals of Zimbabwe 
			  Zimbabwe  Total refusals 
			  2007  
			 July 135 
			 August 85 
			 September 65 
			 October 85 
			 November 105 
			 December 70 
			   
			  2008  
			 January 80 
			 February 100 
			 March 90 
			 April 175 
			 May 200 
			 June 255 
			 (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5. (2) Provisional figures.

Border and Immigration Agency

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by the Border and Immigration Agency and its predecessor on  (a) taxi fares,  (b) hotel accommodation,  (c) first class rail travel,  (d) domestic and international flights and  (e) hospitality in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: The amounts spent by the UK Border Agency and its predecessors on taxi fares, hotel accommodation, rail travel, domestic and international flights and hospitality in each of the last five years is shown in the following table. Rail travel includes all classes of travel.
	
		
			   
			   2007-08  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04 
			  (a) Taxi fares 730,729 721,875 472,420 256,357 359,563 
			  (b) Hotel accommodation 4,599,275 5,878,389 2,436,262 1,611,415 (1)531,452 
			  (c) Train travel 3,208,649 4,505,231 3,145,729 2,066,521 732,135 
			  (d) Air fares 1,688,398 1,965,205 2,405,574 1,775,290 845,104 
			  (e) Hospitality 293,490 346,800 367,376 437,637 60,501 
			 Total 10,520,541 13,417,500 8,827,361 6,147,220 2,528,7551 
			 (1) The financial record system in use at that time called BASS did not have a category to record hotel payments alone. This figure includes hotels and all subsistence, such as allowances for meals.

Cannabis: Crime

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of  (a) murders,  (b) assaults,  (c) robberies and  (d) other crimes committed while under the influence of skunk cannabis in (i) Lancashire and (ii) England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 22 October 2008
	The information requested is not collected centrally.

Departmental Civil Service Agencies

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many agencies were sponsored by her Department in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 1997-98.

Phil Woolas: The Next Steps Report 1997 (Cm3889) provides information on all Executive agencies as at 31 December 1997. Copies are available from the Library of the House. The most up-to-date list of Executive agencies is published in the Cabinet Office publication The List of Ministerial Responsibilities. The latest version, incorporating recent ministerial changes, will be published shortly. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on overnight accommodation by her Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: Expenditure figures for the Home Office on overnight accommodation by civil servants and all Ministers for the financial year 2007-08 (the last 12 months for which audited figures are available) was 5.79 million.
	Information on civil servant overnight accommodation expenditure separately could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Expenditure figures on overnight accommodation for the Home Office includes information for the core Home Office and UK Border Agency.
	When travelling on departmental business officials are expected to make efficient and cost-effective accommodation arrangements. Departments have authority to reimburse the expenses incurred by their own staff in connection with their employment, subject to the conditions set out in the Civil Service Management Code.

Departmental Public Participation

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much  (a) her Department and  (b) the UK Border Agency and its predecessors spent on polling and focus groups in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: During the past five years, spend on opinion polling by the Home Office and the UK Border Agency and predecessors has been as follows (IND and BIA were the UKBA predecessors):
	
		
			   Spend on opinion polling () 
			  2003-04  
			 HO (Inc. IND) 128,850 
			   
			  2004-05  
			 HO (Inc. IND) 124,610 
			   
			  2005-06 0 
			   
			  2006-07  
			 Home Office 97,075 
			 BIA 82,500 
			   
			  2007-08  
			 Home Office 69,700 
			 UKBA 45,000 
		
	
	We are unable to answer the question relating to focus groups on the grounds of disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Relations

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of  (a) entertainment,  (b) advertising and promotion and  (c) public relations consultancy to her Department in 2007-08.

Phil Woolas: Home Office spend on entertainment and advertising and promotion is set out in the following table. The Department's accounting systems do not identify separately the costs of public relations consultancy and these can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   000 
			 Entertainment 57 
			 Advertising and promotion 8,144 
		
	
	All Home Office expenditure conforms to departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which complies with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Drugs: Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the proportion of Class A drugs sold on the streets of the UK which had originated in Afghanistan in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: Afghanistan produces at least 90 per cent. of the identified heroin and opium supplied to the UK. The size of the UK's heroin street market has been estimated at 1.2 billion out of a total 4 billion for all Class A drugs. On that basis, drugs originating from Afghanistan represent between 25 and 30 per cent. of the value of the UK's Class A market.

Entry Clearances

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons UK nationals acting as sponsors for overseas applicants applying for a UK visa are required to send personal financial information abroad for presentation by the applicant to Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials at the appropriate overseas embassy; what consideration has been given to enabling such sponsors to present information to officials in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: One of the requirements for entry in most immigration categories is that the applicant will either (a) be able to adequately maintain and accommodate himself/herself without recourse to public funds, or (b) be adequately maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds by their sponsor, during their stay in the UK. Applicants are advised to provide evidence either of their own or their sponsor's ability to meet this requirement. Such evidence is submitted by the applicant not the sponsor. It is up to the sponsor whether to disclose the information.
	UKvisas has become part of the UK Border Agency since 1 April and we shall look carefully at all the business processes to ensure they are as efficient and customer-friendly as possible.

Genetics: Databases

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals who were  (a) under 13 and  (b) between (i) 13 and 15, (ii) 16 and 18 and (iii) 19 and 21 years of age had their DNA profiles added to the National DNA Database in each financial year for which records are available.

Meg Hillier: The following table shows the number of subject profiles loaded to the National DNA Database (NDNAD) in each of the last five years and the current year to date, as at 16 September 2008, for English and Welsh police forces, relating to persons who were  (a) under 13 and  (b) between (i) 13 and 15, (ii) 16 and 18 and (iii) 19 and 21 at the time the DNA sample was taken; and the estimated number of individuals to which these relate.
	The number of subject profiles held is not the same as the number of individuals with a profile on the NDNAD. As it is possible for a person's profile to be loaded onto the NDNAD on more than one occasion, some profiles held on the NDNAD are replicates. This can occur, for example, if the person provided different names, or different versions of their name, on separate arrests, or because profiles are upgraded. Therefore, the number of individuals on the NDNAD is the number of subject profiles reduced by the replication rate, which at present is 13.3 per cent. for the whole NDNAD.
	
		
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  1  April to  1 6  September  2008 
			  Profiles   
			 Under 13 10,853 12,983 16,315 17,300 14,885 6,053 
			 13-15 45,180 55,397 71,144 73,626 59,896 24,505 
			 16-18 59,406 66,959 86,066 88,528 70,461 30,936 
			 19-21 52,338 53,422 71,020 73,676 59,076 25,709 
			
			  Estimated individuals   
			 Under 13 9,410 11,256 14,145 14,999 12,905 5,248 
			 13-15 39,171 48,029 61,682 63,834 51,930 21,246 
			 16-18 51,505 58,053 74,619 76,754 61,090 26,822 
			 19-21 45,377 46,317 61,574 63,877 51,219 22,290

Genetics: Databases

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of adding DNA samples to the National DNA database in each year since 1995.

Meg Hillier: The process for adding information to the National DNA Database (NDNAD) has a number of elements, the costs of which fall to different parties. The process initially involves police taking a sample of a person's cells (usually by means of a swab of the inside of the cheek), following which the sample is sent to a forensic supplier who processes it to produce a profile. This is a numerical sequence representing a small part of the person's DNA. The profile is then added to the NDNAD, which operates to match profiles taken from individuals with those found at crime scenes.
	The costs of taking and processing the sample fall to individual police forces. They vary depending on the contractual relationship between the force and the forensic supplier, which is commercially confidential.
	The costs of operating the NDNAD and accrediting forensic suppliers fell, between 1995 and 2005 to the Forensic Science Service, between December 2005 and March 2007 to the Home Office, and since April 2007, to the National Policing Improvement Agency. For information on these costs, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 1 September 2008,  Official Report, columns 1566-67W.

Human Trafficking

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those  (a) arrested for and  (b) convicted of human trafficking offences in the UK were (i) male and (ii) female in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: Of the 253 people arrested since the inception of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 for human trafficking 79 were female and 174 male. Of these nine females have been convicted of human trafficking along with 81 males.
	There have been a total of 90 convictions for human trafficking under the Sexual Offences Act. Of these 27 were female and 63 male.

Human Trafficking

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the nationalities were of those  (a) arrested and  (b) convicted of human trafficking offences in the UK in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The nationalities of those arrested and convicted are varied and include people from east Europe, south east Europe, south Asia, China and the far east, and Britain.
	More detailed breakdowns of nationality are not yet available. However, work is underway by the UK Human Trafficking Centre to make details including case outcomes, age, gender and nationality of defendants available in due course.

Immigration: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for leave to remain have been received from addresses in  (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) the London Borough of Bexley in the last six months.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows the number of leave to remain applications received from addresses in Bexleyheath, Crayford and the London Borough of Bexley between 1 April 2008 and 30 September 2008.
	
		
			  Leave to remain applications received for Bexleyheath and Crayford 1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008 
			   Number of applications 
			 Bexleyheath 30 
			 Crayford 90 
			 Total 120 
		
	
	
		
			  Leave to remain applications received for the London borough of Bexley 1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008 
			   Number of applications 
			 Borough of Bexley 1,075 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest five. 
		
	
	The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.

Immigration: Children in Care

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of under 18-year-olds that arrived unaccompanied in the UK and were taken into care but subsequently went missing in  (a) 2007 and  (b) 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I have been asked for reply.
	The numbers of children looked after who went missing from local authority care in each of the last five years are shown in the following tables. Further information can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	 (a) The number of children looked after who went missing from care for 24 hours or more, in each of the years ending 31 March 2003 to 2007, including asylum-seeking children, was as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 990 
			 2004 730 
			 2005 860 
			 2006 890 
			 2007 950 
		
	
	These figures account for all children looked after excluding children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements.
	 (b) The number of asylum-seeking children who went missing from care for 24 hours or more, in each of the years ending 31 March 2003 to 2007, was as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 70 
			 2004 50 
			 2005 70 
			 2006 110 
			 2007 90 
			  Note: For both answers, where a child went missing from his or her agreed placement, for 24 hours or more, on more than one occasion during the same year, he or she has been counted only once. 
		
	
	The figures show the number of children looked after that went missing for a period of 24 hours or more. Some of these may have subsequently returned to care.

Immigration: Criminal Records

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines have been issued by her Department on the grant of indefinite leave to remain (ILR) under the legacy exercise to individuals with criminal convictions in the UK or in another country; what checks are carried out to ascertain the existence of a criminal record in  (a) the UK and  (b) another country in the case of those being considered for ILR under this exercise; and in this exercise how many people have been (i) found to have a criminal record in the UK, (ii) found to have a criminal record in another country, (iii) refused ILR because of a criminal record in the UK and (iv) refused ILR because of a criminal conviction in another country.

Phil Woolas: All decisions are made on a case by case basis under existing law and policy. The UK Border Agency's website, as follows, provides details of policy and guidance that staff follow. This information is published as part of our commitment to freedom of information. Information on the number of cases found to be of those with criminal records in the UK and abroad (i-ii) and information on those refused ILR because of a criminal record in the UK and abroad (iii-iv) could be obtained by examination of individual case records only at disproportionate cost.
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/

Offenders: Deportation

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average period of time was between a foreign national prisoner finishing their sentence and being deported in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency advised the Home Affairs Committee in her letter of 23 July that the Agency is now removing or deporting around a fifth of all individuals direct from prison an average of 180 days before their release date. For the remaining individuals it is taking the Agency around 130 days, on average, to deport or remove them from the UK.

Offenders: Genetics

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many DNA samples were taken from people  (a) charged and  (b) cautioned (i) in each police area and (ii) in total in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (which came into effect in 2004) amended the Police and Criminal Evidence Act to give police the power to take a DNA sample from anyone arrested for a recordable offence and held in a police station. Since then, DNA samples have usually been taken following arrest, rather than at the later stages when a person is charged or cautioned. Information on the number of those from whom a DNA sample is taken who are later  (a) charged and  (b) cautioned is not available.

Official Residences

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of  (a) maintenance,  (b) electricity,  (c) heating and  (d) other bills for the ministerial residence in South Eaton Place has been since it was vacated.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to replies given on 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 807W and 28 April 2008,  Official Report, column 100W.

Police: Football

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how football clubs are charged for the cost of policing during games; who is responsible for the level of such charges; and what criteria are used in such decisions;
	(2)  what her policy is on the scope of policing costs that football clubs should be liable for; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the proportion of costs of policing football matches and related fan movements not met by football clubs.

Alan Campbell: Policing at football matches in England and Wales is a special police services as provided for by section 25(1) of the Police Act 1996. That section provides that the local chief officer of police determines the need for and scale of any police deployment while the local police authority determines the scale of charges imposed for such deployments, section 25(1) is currently subject to judicial proceedings involving Greater Manchester Police and Wigan Athletic Football Club. We will consider carefully the interpretation of the court when it is available.
	No record is held centrally of the cost of all football-related policing activity. 41 per cent. of all matches played in England and Wales during the 2007-08 football season were designated as 'police-free' on the basis of police risk assessment.

Sex Establishments: Regulation

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers are available to local authorities wishing to regulate the establishment of lap dancing clubs.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 21 October 2008
	Lap dancing clubs that supply alcohol or provide entertainment in the form of music or dance must obtain an appropriate permission under the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act). If, following representations and a hearing, the licensing authority believes an application for a licence under the 2003 Act is contrary to the promotion of the four licensing objectives (prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm) it may refuse the application or grant the licence subject to conditions.
	Lap dancing clubs are also subject to the law relating to public decency (Indecent Displays Act 1981) and brothel keeping (Sexual Offences Act 1956).
	The planning system also provides local authorities with powers to help manage the number of lap dancing clubs in an area, having regard to local circumstances and any other material considerations. Following consultation with local authorities, the Home Secretary recently announced the Government's intention to give local communities a stronger say over the establishment of lap dancing clubs in their area. A number of measures are currently being considered in order to achieve this.

Smuggling: Meat

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meat detection sniffer dogs were in use at ports and airports in Great Britain on  (a) 1 January and  (b) 1 July in each year since 2002.

Phil Woolas: Detector dogs trained to identify products of animal origin (POAO) including meat were introduced by DEFRA in 2002, and were transferred to HMRC in April 2003. The number of POAO Detector dogs in use at ports and airports in Great Britain on 1 January and 1 July in each year since 2002 is set out as follows:
	
		
			   Number of dogs in use on  1  January  Number of dogs in use on  1  July 
			 2002 0 2 
			 2003 2 2 
			 2004 5 6 
			 2005 10 10 
			 2006 10 11 
			 2007 11 11 
			 2008 9 9 
		
	
	These dogs are employed on a mobile basis across Great Britain. The actual number available for deployment can differ according to the need to train new dogs and handlers, and to replace dogs through retirement and ill health.
	We cannot disclose further information about the deployment of the dogs as this would provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent border controls, thereby prejudicing the prevention and detection of crime.

UK Border Agency: Data Protection

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to ensure that sensitive financial data required by the UK Border Agency to be sent overseas by those sponsoring applicants for visas is protected.

Phil Woolas: Where an applicant states that they will be maintained and accommodated in the UK by their sponsor, it is reasonable to expect the applicant to provide evidence of their sponsor's ability to do so. All supporting documents, including any documents provided by an applicant about their sponsor, are treated confidentially and in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act by all UK visa-issuing posts overseas.

HEALTH

Advisory Group on Hepatitis

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) date of appointment and  (b) expected date of end of term of office is of each member of (i) the Advisory Group on Hepatitis and (ii) the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Advisory Group on Hepatitis 
			  Name  Date of appointment( 1)  Date of end of term( 2) 
			 Professor Howard Thomas (Chair) 1 November 1999 31 December 2008 
			 Professor William Irving (Vice Chair) 1 July 1998 30 June 2009 
			 Professor Margaret Bassendine 1 August 2005 31 July 2011 
			 Mrs. Joan Bell 1 March 2007 28 February 2010 
			 Professor Graham Foster 1 August 2005 31 July 2010 
			 Mr. Christopher Liffen 1 August 2005 31 July 2010 
			 Dr. Alan Mitchell 1 August 2005 31 July 2011 
			 Dr. Peter Moss 1 August 2005 31 July 2011 
			 Dr. Elizabeth Murphy 1 February 2008 31 January 2011 
			 Dr. Christopher Packham 4 April 2008 3 April 2011 
			 Mr. Raymond Poll 1 August 2005 31 July 2010 
			 Dr. R. Nicholas Pugh 1 March 2007 28 February 2010 
			 Professor Richard Tedder 1 April 2000 31 December 2009 
			 Dr. C.Y. William Tong 1 March 2007 28 February 2010 
		
	
	
		
			  Joint Committee on Immunisation and Vaccination 
			  Name  Date of appointment( 1)  Date of end of term( 2) 
			 Professor Andrew Hall (Chair) 1 January 2005 31 December 2009 
			 Dr. Raymond Borrow 2 April 2007 1 April 2011 
			 Professor Alan Emond 30 March 2003 29 March 20011 
			 Professor Jonathan Friedland 28 February 2006 27 February 2010 
			 Professor Paul Griffiths 30 September 2000 29 September 2008 
			 Dr. Jennifer Harries 1 October 2008 30 September 2012 
			 Dr. Anthony Harnden 28 February 2006 28 February 2010 
			 Dr. Paul Jackson 28 February 2006 27 February 2010 
			 Professor Simon Kroll 30 September 2000 29 September 2008 
			 Dr. Gabriella Laing 1 October 2008 30 September 2012 
			 Mrs. Pauline MacDonald 2 April 2007 1 April 2011 
			 Ms Anne McGowan 2 April 2007 1 April 2011 
			 Dr. Andrew Riordan 1 October 2008 30 September 2012 
			 Mrs. Vivienne Parry 30 November 2002 29 November 2010 
			 Dr. Richard Roberts 31 October 2003 30 October 2011 
			 Professor Claire-Ann Siegrist 1 October 2008 30 September 2012 
			 Dr. Ahmed Syed 28 February 2006 27 February 2010 
			 Professor Brent Taylor 30 September 2000 29 September 2008 
			 Dr. Christopher Verity 30 November 2001 29 November 2009 
			 (1) Date of first appointment. Some committee members have been re-appointed since their first appointment. (2) Date of when current appointment ends.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the alcoholic beverage industry on the health effects of underage drinking.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been no recent meetings with the alcohol beverage industry to discuss the health effects of underage drinking.

Cancer: Waiting Lists

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for cancer treatment in West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust area in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: Information is not held in the format requested. The cancer waiting time standards of a maximum wait of 31 days from decision to treat to first cancer treatment and a maximum of 62 days from an urgent general practitioner referral to the start of cancer treatment were introduced for all patients from December 2005. The latest figures, for quarter one 2008-09, show that West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust's performance against the 31 days standard was 100 per cent., and its performance against the 62 day standard was 99.3 per cent.

Health: Gender

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the causes of health inequalities between men and women in the last 10 years; and whether any such research relates specifically to the Merseyside region.

Dawn Primarolo: None. The Department has however commissioned the Men's Health Forum (MHF) to undertake a study into the different ways in which men and women access health services. The MHF report is due to be published this autumn.

Hepatitis

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the public health guidelines on hepatitis B will be published.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) on 6 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 422-24W.

Iris London

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid by his Department to Iris London in each financial year since 2001; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Iris London in each year since 2000-01; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department procure marketing services and agencies through the Central Office of Information (COI). Iris London is the holding company, and COI have contracted with either Iris Nation (Sponsorship) or Iris Direct (Direct Marketing), not with the holding group.
	Payments to Iris London and contracts awarded in each financial year since 2000-01 are detailed as follows. No penalties for default have been imposed in any of the contract provisions. In each case the initial length of contract is provided as is the number of agencies shortlisted in any tender.
	 2001-02
	Teenage Pregnancies sponsorship99,438.40
	(One year contract awarded after tender involving three agencies. This initial contract was commissioned by DCSF although sexual health is a joint DH/DCSF programme with shared objectives.)
	 2002-03
	Teenage Pregnancies sponsorship111,765.00
	(Contract extended)
	Adult Sexual Health Partnership Marketing31,090.00
	(One year contract awarded without tender due to Iris already working on Teenage Pregnancy sponsorship with DCSF.)
	 2003-04
	Adult Sexual Health Partnership Marketing179,004.00
	(Contract extended)
	Teenage Pregnancies Partnership Marketing235,780.00
	(Contract extended)
	 2004-05
	Adult Sexual Health Partnership Marketing201,469.75
	(Contract extended)
	Teenage Pregnancies Partnership Marketing165,834.60
	(Contract extended)
	 2005-06
	Adult Sexual Health Partnership Marketing259,627.50
	(Contract extended)
	Teenage Pregnancies Partnership Marketing419,683.00
	(Contract extended)
	Tobacco Control Programme Partnership Marketing71,840.00
	(Contract awarded for six months after tender involving three agencies)
	 2006-07
	Adult Sexual Health Partnership Marketing663,005.21
	(Contract extended)
	Teenage Pregnancies Partnership Marketing402,988.60
	(Contract extended)
	Anti-Tobacco Partnership Marketing155,729.00
	(Contract extended)
	 2007-08
	Adult Sexual Health Partnership Marketing551,806.47
	(Contract extended, repitched in July 2008 involving three agencies. Iris reappointed.)
	Teenage Pregnancies Partnership Marketing346,465.68
	(Contract extended, repitched in July 2008 involving three agencies. Iris reappointed.)
	Anti-Tobacco Partnership Marketing200,540.75
	(Contract extended)
	COI is subject to the EU public procurement directive embodied in UK law by the Public Contract Regulations 2006. The Regulations govern the way in which Government contracts are advertised and awarded. For contracts over a threshold value it is a requirement for them to be advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), which imposes strict timescales that cannot be shortened. To enable the Department to appoint a supplier in the shortest possible time, COI have a number of framework agreements (agency rosters) in place. Frameworks are themselves advertised in the OJEU, therefore contracts awarded under the terms and conditions of the framework do not need to be re-advertised or apply the strict timescalesas long as timescales are reasonable to allow the suppliers time to provide an adequate response. The majority of the Department's spend with external suppliers is via these frameworks.
	A detailed evaluation process is used for agency selection as part of any tender process. Key criteria for appointment of an agency and quality markers for a successful campaign are identified in conjunction with COI prior to any tender. Evaluation procedures are also utilised to continually evaluate agency performance against set objectives.
	Renewal without re-tender has taken place in a number of cases. Each contract awarded is for a specific initial term usually relating to the allocated budget for that current financial year. Contracts have included the option for contract extension as stated in COI guidelines:
	COI reserves the right to extend the contract beyond the period stated above. Payment for any extension shall be based upon the Contract Price subject to fair and reasonable adjustment, to be agreed between COI and the Contractor.

Medical Equipment

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities have decided to proceed with full implementation of transforming community equipment services following the recent trials.

Phil Hope: Implementing the transforming community equipment service is a local decision and any information on decision-making should be referred to each local authority and health partnership.

NHS: Manpower

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) nurses,  (b) general practitioners,  (c) surgeons,  (d) ward support staff and  (e) administrative staff were employed in the NHS in each year since 2004.

Ann Keen: The data requested for nurses, general practitioners, surgeons (consultants), and administration staff are shown in the following table. It is not possible to break down data to indicate which support staff work on wards. Therefore all data on support staff are given.
	
		
			  NHS HCHS and General Practice work force (excluding GP retainers( 1) ) in England as at 30 September each specified year 
			  Headcount 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Total employed staff(1) 1,331,087 1,365,388 1,338,140 1,330,544 
			  
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 660,706 679,157 674,621 681,246 
			 All doctors(1) 117,036 122,345 125,612 127,645 
			 Medical and dental staff within the surgical group of specialties 18,290 19,096 19,425 19,398 
			  O f which : 
			 Consultants 5,754 5,988 6,129 6,260 
			  
			 GPs(1) Including registrars 34,085 35,302 35,369 35,855 
			  
			 Qualified nursing staff(2) 397,515 404,161 398,335 399,597 
			 Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff 128,883 134,534 134,496 136,976 
			 Qualified ambulance staff 17,272 18,117 16,176 17,028 
			  
			 Support to clinical staff 251,176 254,533 235,710 227,349 
			 Unqualified nursing staff 139,257 136,429 123,479 115,326 
			 Unqualified ST and T staff 36,188 37,525 37,342 37,417 
			  
			 Healthcare assistants 41,740 43,280 41,747 43,055 
			 Nursing areas of work 37,803 39,213 39,657 41,093 
			 ST and T areas of work 905 964 925 781 
			 Other areas of work 3,032 3,103 1,165 1,181 
			 Support staff 33,991 35,299 33,142 31,551 
			 Nursing areas of work 23,716 25,212 23,276 22,856 
			 ST and T areas of work 1,241 1,118 1,231 1,110 
			 Other areas of work 9,034 8,969 8,635 7,585 
			  
			 Total clerical and administrative staff(3) 260,857 272,565 261,053 256,686 
			 Central functions 129,249 136,513 130,559 128,620 
			 Hotel, property and estates 10,827 10,762 9,099 8,818 
			 ST and T support 17,356 16,587 15,282 14,391 
			 Clerical support 99,845 105,004 102,486 101,125 
			 Ambulance service support 3,580 3,699 3,627 3,732 
			  
			 Other non-medical staff(4) 46,094 47,039 47,114 47,888 
			  
			 Other GP practice staff(5) 90,110 89,190 95,845 94,515 
			 (1) Figures exclude GP Retainers. (2) Nursing and midwifery figures exclude students on training courses leading to a first qualification as a nurse or midwife. Includes GP practice nurses. (3) Examples of staff in Central Functions are staff in HR, informatics, payroll, and library staff. Examples of staff in Hotel, property and estates are clerical laundry staff, domestic services and home wardens. Examples of staff in ST and T support are clerical staff in audiology, haematology, dietetics and microbiology. Ambulance service support staff are ambulance controllers, training staff and ambulance officers. (4) Other non-medical staff includes ambulance support staff, maintenance and works staff and a small number of other and unknown staff. (5) Other practice staffThere is no breakdown of type of work for headcount data. However type of work is available for full time equivalent practice staff and the majority (over 60 per cent. in 2007) were admin and clerical staff.  Notes: 1. In 2006 ambulance staff were collected under new, more detailed, occupation codes. As a result qualified totals and support to ambulance staff totals are not directly comparable with previous years. 2. Data qualify: Work force statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) In England. The NHS Information Centre for hearth and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Sources: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census The NHS Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal medical services statistics

Obesity

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 457W on Health: obesity, which public service agreements published by the Government between 1998 and 2004 were related to levels of obesity; and what evidence he has assessed on the effect these targets have had on levels of obesity.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 457W.
	The Government commissioned the Foresight team to undertake a detailed analysis on obesity in the United Kingdom. The Foresight report Tackling Obesities: Future Choices, which has been placed in the Library, set out the long-term scale of the obesity problem, and its complexities. In response, we have set a new ambition, and developed a new strategy Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: a Cross-Government Strategy for England, which we published in January this year. This has already been placed in the Library.

Obesity: Children

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the Government did not set a target to reduce levels of obesity in children between 1997 and 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 457W.
	A public service agreement (PSA) target was set in 2004 to halt the year on year rise in obesity among children aged 11 by 2010 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole.

Patients: Safety

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made towards  (a) designation of specialised services to guarantee patient safety and  (b) ensuring that service staff are used effectively in accordance with his Department's operating framework for 2008-09.

Ann Keen: The process of designating the providers of specialised services is being undertaken as part of the work programme of the National Specialised Commissioning Group, which has issued guidance to Specialised Commissioning Groups (SCGs) on its expected approach. This includes model documentationto ensure that the process is fair and transparent. Such documentation will need to cover details of the service model, service standards, patient access and egress criteria and treatment protocols, and information requirements. It will also need to be discussed with patient groups. The work of producing model documentation for the first 15 services has been divided between different SCGs. A further eight services will be designated following some form of nationally co-ordinated review (e.g. burn care or rare cancers).

Prostate Cancer

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken to ensure that cancer networks adhere to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on prostate cancer;
	(2)  has taken to ensure that prostate cancer patients are reviewed by multi-disciplinary teams in all primary care trusts.

Ann Keen: Improving Outcomes in Urological Cancer, published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in 2002, addresses the care of prostate cancer patients.
	Strategic health authorities have submitted action plans to demonstrate how they will implement this guidance. The Department and the Healthcare Commission monitor progress against these plans.
	The most recent round of peer review visits confirmed that the care of most cancer patients is managed by multidisciplinary teams, one of the key principles of the Improving Outcomes series of guidance.

Prostate Cancer

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding is available for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer in  (a) England,  (b) each strategic health authority area and  (c) each primary care trust in 2008-09.

Ann Keen: It is the responsibility of each primary care trust (PCT) to commission healthcare services for their local populations, including the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer, using the funds allocated to them in their baseline allocations.
	A table showing the revenue allocations made to each PCT in 2008-09 has already been placed in the Library.
	The following table shows the total revenue allocation provided to each strategic health authority (SHA) area in 2008-09 and the overall total for England.
	
		
			  SHA  2008-09 recurrent allocation (000) 
			 East Midlands SHA 5,900,035 
			 East of England SHA 7,494,446 
			 London SHA 12,245,265 
			 North East SHA 4,134,810 
			 North West SHA 10,904,960 
			 South Central SHA 5,148,563 
			 South East Coast SHA 5,952,479 
			 South West SHA 7,056,315 
			 West Midlands SHA 7,827,382 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA 7,533,215 
			 England 74,197,471

Prostate Cancer

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical nurse specialists for prostate cancer there were in  (a) England,  (b) each strategic health authority area and  (c) each primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The information requested is unavailable. Work force planning is a matter for local determination. It is for local service providers and work force planners to determine the needs of their local populations for clinical nurses specialists for prostate cancer.

Thame Community Hospital: Finance

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to  (a) announce the amount of funding Thame Community Hospital, Oxfordshire, will receive from the Community Hospital Development Fund and  (b) make public information on the draw-down terms associated with such funding.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has authorised a contribution from the community hospitals and services programme central fund of 4 million for the redevelopment of Thame Community Hospital and the local NHS is progressing the scheme. The draw down of funding is subject to the normal business case processes.
	The new hospital will offer local people better access to wide range of local services and diagnostics, in high quality, up to date, facilities.

Tuberculosis: Vaccination

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which countries are classified as possessing a level of tuberculosis infection sufficient to justify the treatment of their nationals as a high risk group under the new guidelines for the national BCG vaccination programme.

Dawn Primarolo: The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination programme offers the BCG vaccine to those at greatest risk of exposure. These are:
	all infants (aged 0 to 12 months) living in areas of the UK where the annual incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is 40 in 100,000 or greater;
	all infants (aged 0 to 12 months) with a parent or grandparent who was born in a country where the annual incidence of TB is 40 in 100,000 or greater;
	previously unvaccinated children aged one to five years with a parent or grandparent who was born in a country where the annual incidence of TB is 40 in 100,000 or greater. These children should be identified at suitable opportunities, and can normally be vaccinated without tuberculin testing;
	previously unvaccinated, tuberculin-negative children aged from six to under 16 years of age with a parent or grandparent who was born in a country where the annual incidence of TB is 40 in 100,000 or greater. These children should be identified at suitable opportunities, tuberculin tested and vaccinated if negative;
	previously unvaccinated tuberculin-negative contacts of cases of respiratory TB; and
	previously unvaccinated, tuberculin-negative new entrants under 16 years of age who were born in or who have lived for a prolonged period (at least three months) in a country with an annual TB incidence of 40 in 100,000 or greater.
	BCG may be required for previously unvaccinated, tuberculin negative individuals according to the destination and nature of travel. BCG vaccine is recommended for those under 16 years of age who are going to live or work with local people for more than three months in a country where the annual incidence of TB is 40 in 100,000 or greater.
	The following countries have an annual incidence of TB equal to or greater than 40 in 100,000 people.
	Afghanistan
	Algeria
	Angola
	Armenia
	Azerbaijan
	Bahrain
	Bangladesh
	Belarus
	Belize
	Benin
	Bhutan
	Bolivia
	Bosnia and Herzegovina
	Botswana
	Brazil
	Brunei Darussalam
	Bulgaria
	Burkina Faso
	Burundi
	Cambodia
	Cameroon
	Cape Verde
	Central African Republic
	Chad
	China
	China, Hong Kong SAR
	China, Macao SAR
	Colombia
	Comoros
	Congo
	Cote d'Ivoire
	Croatia
	Djibouti
	Dominican Republic
	DPR Korea
	DR Congo
	Ecuador
	El Salvador
	Equatorial Guinea
	Eritrea
	Ethiopia
	Gabon
	Gambia
	Georgia
	Ghana
	Guatemala
	Guinea
	Guinea-Bissau
	Guyana
	Haiti
	Honduras
	India
	Indonesia
	Iraq
	Kazakhstan
	Kenya
	Kiribati
	Kyrgyzstan
	Lao PDR
	Latvia
	Lesotho
	Liberia
	Lithuania
	Madagascar
	Malawi
	Malaysia
	Maldives
	Mali
	Marshall Islands
	Mauritania
	Micronesia
	Mongolia
	Morocco
	Mozambique
	Myanmar
	Namibia
	Nauru
	Nepal
	Nicaragua
	Niger
	Nigeria
	Niue
	Northern Mariana Islands
	Pakistan
	Palau
	Panama
	Papua New Guinea
	Paraguay
	Peru
	Philippines
	Qatar
	Rep. of Korea
	Republic of Moldova
	Romania
	Russian Federation
	Rwanda
	Sao Tome  Principe
	Saudi Arabia
	Senegal
	Sierra Leone
	Solomon Islands
	Somalia
	South Africa
	Sri Lanka
	Sudan
	Suriname
	Swaziland
	Tajikistan
	Thailand
	Timor-Leste
	Togo
	Tokelau
	Turkmenistan
	Tuvalu
	Uganda
	Ukraine
	UR Tanzania
	Uzbekistan
	Vanuatu
	Venezuela
	Viet Nam
	Wallis and Futuna
	Yemen
	Zambia
	Zimbabwe
	 Source
	World Health Organization. Global Tuberculosis Control: Surveillance, Planning, Financing. WHO Report 2008. Geneva, WHO/HTM/TB/2008.393. www.who.int/tb/publications/global_report/

Tuberculosis: Vaccination

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of tuberculosis infection was among children under 11 years of age in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of cases aged 0-10 years  Rate of TB per 100,000 population 
			 2002 263 4.10 
			 2003 209 3.30 
			 2004 277 4.44 
			 2005 292 4.61 
			 2006 246 3.93 
			  Notes:  1. The data provided are for England only.  2. They are for children aged 0-10 years inclusive.  3. Validated data for 2007 are not yet available.   Source:  Health Protection Agency Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance (ETS) system. Mid-year population estimates were compiled from Office of National Statistics (ONS) data.

Tuberculosis: Vaccination

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of children who will be vaccinated under the revised guidelines for the national BCG vaccination programme and  (b) the cost of the revised programme.

Dawn Primarolo: There were nearly 220,000 Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccinations in 2007-08 (NHS Immunisation Statistics, England 2007-08).
	The cost of administering the programme is included in primary care trusts' overall budget and cannot be separated out.

Tuberculosis: Vaccination

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for moving to a policy of selective rather than universal vaccination of children against tuberculosis.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department moved to a selective policy following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
	Having reviewed all available scientific and epidemiological evidence, the JCVI recommended from September 2005 that a targeted approach to vaccination should be introduced to replace the national schools Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) programme.
	The key reasons behind this decision were:
	the primary role of the BCG vaccination is to protect individuals at high risk of exposure to tuberculosis (TB);
	since the introduction of the schools based BGC programme the epidemiology of TB has changed from a disease of the general population in the 1950s to one of predominately high-risk groups;
	targeted BCG vaccination means that the majority of children at high risk of TB exposure will now be vaccinated earlier in life than under the previous policy;
	the BCG is most effective at preventing severe forms of TB in infants and young children; and
	protection decreases with time but repeated vaccination does not appear to offer any additional protection.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bangladesh: Religious Freedom

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has with the government of Bangladesh on outbreaks of violence against Christians and other religious minorities.

Bill Rammell: We are not aware of any recent major outbreaks of violence against Christians or other religious minorities in Bangladesh. However, we continue to monitor the situation closely. The UK condemns the persecution of individuals or groups because of their faith or belief. We take very seriously issues of discrimination on grounds of religion and press for adherence to the principles of religious freedoms enshrined in the UN Charter and international conventions.

Burma: Arms Trade

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of India on arms sales to the Government of Burma.

Bill Rammell: The matter was raised with the Indian Government last year when we became aware that India had sold arms to Burma. If further sales come to our attention, we will again raise our concerns. The EU has an arms embargo against Burma and calls on all countries to consider carefully whether arms which are used against civilians should be sold to Burma.
	We continue to raise the need for political change in Burma with the Indian Government at the highest levels. We hope that, as the world's largest democracy, India will use the influence that it has on the Burmese regime to encourage the start of an inclusive political process leading to genuine democracy and respect for human rights.

Burma: Human Rights

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Burma about the incidence of human rights abuses in that country since 22nd July 2008.

Bill Rammell: As part of the EU Common Position, we do not engage at ministerial level with the regime in Burma. Our ambassador in Rangoon has met Burmese officials on a number of occasions since 22 July to raise our concerns about the human rights situation in the country. Recent exchanges have focused on prisoner welfare, the release of political prisoners and the need for a genuinely inclusive political process. The ambassador also discussed specific abuses inflicted on Burma's ethnic groups with Professor Gambari during the UN envoy's visit in August.

Burma: Overseas Aid

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his ASEAN counterparts on the supply of military police and security equipment to the Government of Burma.

Bill Rammell: We are aware of reports that the Government of Burma has purchased military and security equipment from some Association of South-East Asia Nations (ASEAN) countries. Burma is subject to an EU arms embargo and we encourage all countries, including members of ASEAN, to observe responsible arms trade policies towards Burma and other countries whose activities may be a cause for concern.
	We regularly urge ASEAN countries to do all they can to promote respect for human rights and a genuine transition to democracy in Burma. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed these issues with the Foreign Ministers of Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN during a meeting with the UN Secretary-General on 27 September in New York.

Burma: Political Prisoners

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the number of political prisoners in Burma.

Bill Rammell: In his report to the UN General Assembly of 5 September 2008, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma stated that
	according to reliable sources, some 2,000 political and civil activists were still imprisoned in Myanmar.
	This is consistent with other reports the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received. We continue to raise the need for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, in all our contacts with the Burmese regime and those countries with influence over it.

Burma: Politics and Government

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese Government on the conduct of the Government of Burma.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised our deep concern about the situation in Burma with Chinese Premier Wen on 24 September, during UN General Assembly Ministerial week in New York. He also raised Burma with both Premier Wen and President Hu in Beijing in August. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Burma with Foreign Minister Yang on 12 June, and will raise the issue again when they meet at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Beijing later this month. Officials maintain an active dialogue with the Chinese Government through our embassies in Beijing and Rangoon, and with the Chinese embassy in London. In all these discussions, we have consistently encouraged China to bring its influence to bear on the Burmese regime to respond to the demands of the UN Security Council and broader international community.

Burma: Politics and Government

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Burma on the outcome of the most recent visit to Burma by the UN special rapporteur.

Bill Rammell: The UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma visited the country between 3 and 7 August and delivered a report of his observations to the UN General Assembly on 5 September 2008. Ministerial contact with the regime is restricted by the EU Common Position on Burma. However, our ambassador in Rangoon regularly raises our deep concern about the human rights situation, including the issues highlighted in the Special Rapporteur's report. We also support the work of the Special Rapporteur through the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.

Burma: UN Resolutions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the pursuit of a United Nations Security Council resolution on Burma since 22 July 2008.

Bill Rammell: In the past 12 months we have helped to secure unprecedented UN Security Council action on Burma in the form of two strongly-worded presidential statements demanding: the release of political prisoners; the start of credible talks between the regime, opposition and ethnic groups; and full co-operation with the UN. We continue to work with EU partners to keep Burma on the UN Security Council agenda. A UN Security Council Resolution in the short term is not feasible as some members, including permanent members, will block action on this front. We have not discussed this specific issue with EU partners since 22 July 2008.

Colombia: Arms Trade

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects of securing an EU embargo on arms supplies to Colombia.

Gillian Merron: There has been no discussion among EU partners about an EU arms embargo on Colombia. All export licence applications to export arms to Colombia are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

Diplomatic Service: Passports

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many valid UK diplomatic passports are held by  (a) serving accredited UK diplomats,  (b) other Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials,  (c) serving military personnel,  (d) officials of other Government Departments,  (e) Ministers of the Crown,  (f) hon. Members who do not hold ministerial office and  (g) others.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not keep separate records of diplomatic and official passports issued, nor does it break down how many passports are issued to staff and dependants who are not members of the Diplomatic Service.
	A manual check of all diplomatic and official passport application forms would be required to provide this information. This would incur a disproportionate cost.
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office practice is to issue diplomatic passports to officers who are to serve as diplomatic agents abroad. Official passports are issued to those who are to serve as administrative or technical staff. The guidelines under which they are to be issued are rigorously defined to accredited personnel and dependants on overseas postings. Diplomatic and official passports are issued to staff other than members of the Diplomatic Service, given that it is not only diplomatic staff that go on overseas postings.

Ethiopia: Arms Trade

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the sale of arms to Ethiopia.

Gillian Merron: The Minister for Africa, the Middle East and Asia announced the Government's policy on export licensing in a PQ answer on 26 October 2000,  Official Report, columns 199-203W.
	In summary, all relevant export licence applications, including those of arms to Ethiopia, are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of the circumstances prevailing at the time and other relevant announced Government policies.
	An export licence will not be issued if the arguments for doing so are outweighed by the need to comply with the UK's international obligations and commitments, by concern that the goods might be used for internal repression or international aggression, by the risks to regional stability or by other considerations as described in the EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

Guatemala: Human Rights

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on extrajudicial killing in Guatemala.

Gillian Merron: According to statistics from the non-governmental organization, Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo, there were 94 extrajudicial killings in Guatemala, in the first nine months of 2008. Against the country's overall murder rate, official statistics show to date, 3,621 murders in 2008 and 5,000 in the previous year, of which fewer than 3 per cent. of the perpetrators brought to justice.
	President Colom, who came to power in January 2008, has taken steps to address these high levels of violent crime and impunity. He replaced the Minister of the Interior, the Attorney General and most recently, the Director and Deputy Director of the National Police. The new Director of Police is working to purge the service of officers linked to corruption and organised crime. The British embassy in Guatemala City supports these efforts, and the work of the UN-sponsored International Commission on Corruption and Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) which recently completed its first year of activities.

India: Christianity

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Indian Government on the alleged persecution of Christians in Orissa state; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We are deeply concerned by the recent reports of attacks against Christians in Orissa. There can be no justification for such violent attacks against innocent people. On 1 October, my noble Friend the Minister of State for Asia, Africa and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown raised the matter with the Indian High Commissioner and on 17 October he raised it in Delhi with the Minister of External Affairs, Arnand Sharma. He also used his recent visit to India to raise it with the chairman of the Minorities Commission, Mr. Mohammed Quereshi. We understand that the Indian Government fully recognise the seriousness of these incidents and are engaged with the Orissa State authorities in restoring law and order to that region.

India: Terrorism

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of terrorist attacks in India over the last 12 months, broken down by  (a) location and  (b) community affected.

Bill Rammell: We have received reports of numerous terrorist attacks in India over the last 12 months. The most significant have been:
	23 November 2007: Varanasi, Faizabad and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, killing 13 people
	13 May 2008: Jaipur, killing 80
	25 July 2008: Bangalore, killing two
	26 July 2008: Ahmedabad, killing 49
	13 September 2008: Delhi, five serial bomb blasts killed at least 23 and injured over 100
	27 September 2008: South Delhi, killing two and injuring two dozen
	29 September 2008: Modasa (Gujarat), and Malegaon (Maharashtra), killing four and injuring 51
	1 October 2008: Agartala (Tripura), injuring 50
	The multi-ethnic and multicultural character of Indian society means it is not possible to single out which communities have been affected.
	There have been several other low-level attacks in India over the last 12 months. Notably, Naxalite activity has registered consistently high levels of violence in recent years, averaging around 1,500 incidents and 800 deaths each year since 2003. These are higher casualty figures than for Jammu and Kashmir and the insurgencies in Northeast India.

India: Terrorism

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government is providing to India to assist counter-terrorism activities in India; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK and India enjoy a close working relationship on countering terrorism and extremism. This is underpinned by Prime Ministerial agreement at annual UK/India summits to work together in specific areas.
	At the most recent summit in January we agreed to intensify practical co-operation and the sharing of experience in the fight against terrorism. We have agreed to build on existing co-operation, including in the protection of critical national infrastructure, mass transit systems and the security of major sporting events including the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and the London 2012 Olympics. In addition, we have agreed to expand co-operation on civil aviation security and crisis management, and to establish a new bilateral dialogue on terrorist financing. Practical work is now being taken forward across the UK and Indian Governments. We expect to further strengthen this co-operation through a meeting of the Indo-UK Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism later this year.
	Multilaterally, the UK and India remain committed to pursuing an agreement in the UN on the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism. The UK continues to support India's request for full membership of the Financial Action Task Force.

India: Terrorism

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms are in place for co-operation with the Indian Government on intelligence relating to  (a) the causes of and  (b) the perpetrators of terrorism in India.

Bill Rammell: It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on intelligence matters.
	We value our co-operation with India across a range of counter-terrorism issues and we expect to further strengthen co-operation through a meeting of the Indo-UK Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism later this year.

International Criminal Court

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) projected and  (b) maximum number of investigations and trials is the International Criminal Court could undertake under its present budget and strategic plans.

Gillian Merron: The Registrar of the International Criminal Court (ICC) draws up a budget for each calendar year for approval by States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC. The budget is prepared on the basis of assumptions about the level of activity for the following year. The overall budget for 2008 of 90.4 million was drawn up on the expectation that at least one trial would take place; and that the Office of the Prosecutor would continue to pursue investigations in four situations (relating to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Uganda and Sudan/Darfur). Following the arrest and surrender of two further individuals to the ICC, the Registrar sought permission, in accordance with the ICC Financial Regulations and Rules, to use the court's contingency fund to meet the unforecast costs relating to a second trial in 2008. This was approved but, as the first trial has now been delayed, the costs for that second trial are likely to be met within the existing 2008 budget.
	The budget for 2009 has not yet been finalised, but the court will base its planned expenditure on the assumptions that: two trials will take place consecutively; there will be some pre-trial activities for a third; and the Prosecutor will continue investigations in three of the situations currently before the court, with no new investigations envisaged.

Iran: Banks

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the list of banks domiciled in Iran, including their branches and subsidiaries abroad, that was distributed to UN Security Council members by the United Kingdom, the United States and France on 1 August.

David Miliband: A copy of the document has been placed in the Library of the House.

Kenya: Politics and Government

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Kenya has returned to stability following the violence earlier this year that arose from the disputed December 2007 elections. The new Grand Coalition Government has made some progress towards implementing the agenda for reform agreed by all parties during Kofi Annan's mediation process. Achieving the agreed benchmarks for reform along with early steps to tackle the issues that underlay the violence, such as poverty, inequality and impunity, will ensure confidence in a commitment to the process. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said after meeting Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga on 23 July 2008, we welcome the commitment of the political parties in Kenya to power-sharing and their efforts to live up to the expectations of the Kenyan people. The Government, with their international partners, are working to assist Kenya with their reform agenda in the pursuit of longer-term stability and growth, and to prevent such violence recurring.

Pakistan: Politics and Government

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the Government have taken to assist the Government of Pakistan in reducing the incidence of extremism in that country.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed the problem of extremism in Pakistan with President Zardari on 16 September. He offered Pakistan the UK's full support, including through support for development, capacity-building and counter-terrorism cooperation.
	We continue to work with Pakistan to help tackle the serious development, security and economic problems that Pakistan faces. The UK and Pakistan have a broad programme of counter-terrorism cooperation. This includes providing operational support in key law enforcement and prosecuting agencies. We will also be doubling development spending in Pakistan to 480 million over the next three years to help strengthen democratic institutions, promote good governance, provide better quality education and increase health care provision. This assistance should also help to address some of the underlying causes of radicalisation.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of incidents involving the alleged persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan; and when he last raised the subject with the Government of Pakistan.

Bill Rammell: Members of the Ahmadiyya community in the United Kingdom recently informed us about comments made on a popular Pakistani television programme inciting violence against their community. Within several days, two prominent members of the Ahmadiyya community in Karachi were killed. Our deputy high commission in Karachi discussed this with the provincial Sindh Government, who are investigating the broadcast.
	With our EU partners, we regularly raise concerns about the treatment of all minority groups with the Government of Pakistan. The last specific intervention by the EU on the persecution of the Ahmaddiya community took place in July.

Sudan: Arms Trade

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UN arms embargo on Sudan.

Gillian Merron: We note that the latest report, published on 3 October 2007, of the UN Panel of Exports (which monitors the UN arms embargo) identified violations of the embargo. The UK continues to request that the UN extend its arms embargo on Darfur to all of Sudan, but not all Security Council members agree.

Sudan: Arms Trade

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on  (a) compliance with and  (b) breaches of the UN arms embargo on Darfur.

Gillian Merron: In its latest report of 3 October 2007, the UN Panel of Experts (which was established by UN Security Council Resolution 1591 to monitor the arms embargo on Darfur) assessed that violations of the arms embargo continued, both by the Government of Sudan and non-State armed groups, during the period of the report (29 September 2006 to 29 August 2007). The Panel reported that heavy weapons (artillery pieces), small arms, ammunition and other military equipment were entering Darfur from other countries. The Panel further reported that the Government of Sudan had not submitted the necessary requests of approval to the UN to enable the movement of weapons, ammunition or other military equipment into Darfur, thereby knowingly violating the provisions of the Resolution.
	The UK continues to request that the UN extend its arms embargo on Darfur to all of Sudan, but not all Security Council members agree. The EU has implemented an arms embargo on the whole of Sudan via Common Position 2005/411/CFSP.

Sudan: Elections

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to facilitate free and fair elections in Sudan as outlined in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Gillian Merron: As Chair of the donor working group on elections in Khartoum, we work with other donors and the UN to lobby the Government of Sudan to amend key legislation on national security, the media and political parties to create an environment for free and fair elections.
	The UK has supported civic education and media training programmes since late 2007. We will contribute an initial 1.5 million to the UN elections programme to fund civic and voter education, civil society training, and training for electoral staff.
	We regularly raise the issue of elections, and emphasise the need for elections to be free and fair, with Government and opposition parties in north and south Sudan.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the establishment of a no-fly zone over Darfur.

Gillian Merron: We are not currently proposing a no-fly zone for Darfur. We assess that a no-fly zone would restrict essential humanitarian operations and be a major logistical challenge due to the size of Darfur and the lack of available air assets. The UN-African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is mandated to monitor military activity, including flights prohibited by UN Security Council Resolution 1591. We continue to press all parties for the rapid and full deployment of UNAMID.

Sudan: Politics and Government

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the Russian Government and  (b) the Chinese Government on the political and security situation in Darfur.

Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Darfur with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang on 27 September in New York.
	We have regular discussions with the officials of the Russian and Chinese Governments about Darfur. We have urged them to support the effective deployment of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur and to use their influence with the Government of Sudan to press Sudan to fulfil its commitments and end the violence.

Sudan: Politics and Government

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The new UN-African Union Chief Mediator for the Darfur political process, Djibril Bassol, former Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso, arrived in Sudan on 28 August. This is a welcome step in renewing the Darfur political process. We stand ready to support him in his efforts to reinvigorate the peace process.
	Following the application by the International Criminal Court's Prosecutor for an arrest warrant for President Bashir on 14 July, the Government of Sudan announced plans for a Sudan People's Initiative on Darfur which held its first meeting on 16 October. The Government of Qatar and the Arab League have also announced that they want to work on a peace initiative for Darfur. We hope these initiatives will support the efforts of the UN-African Union Chief Mediator and lead to a sustainable peace.

Sudan: Travel Information

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures his Department uses to compile its advice on travel to Sudan.

Gillian Merron: Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Advice is under constant review. It is thoroughly checked at least once every month and following any significant incident.
	The aim of the Travel Advice for Sudan, as with elsewhere, is to provide information to enable British nationals to make informed decisions about their safety abroad.
	The Travel Advice for all countries is based on information from experts. The National Travel Health Network and Centre advise on all health matters, the Met Office on weather fronts, the Department of Transport on aviation issues and our Posts and geographical desks provide a wealth of in-country expertise. Information from the intelligence services is also sought. All of the expert advice will be considered as part of the procedures prior to updating the Travel Advice.
	For significant changes to the Travel Advice, including where a travel warning is put in place or removed, ministerial approval is required. We only advise against travel or all but essential travel to a country when we believe the threats are such that the safety of British travellers is at risk.
	The Travel Advice for Sudan was last updated on 6 October 2008.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to question 220187, on staff, tabled on 15 July.

Gillian Merron: This PQ was answered on 20 October 2008,  Official Report, column 96W. I apologise for the delay.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Prostate Cancer

Mark Hunter: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many diagnoses of prostate cancer there were in  (a) England,  (b) each strategic health authority area and  (c) each primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated October 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many diagnoses of prostate cancer there were in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority area and (c) each primary care trust area in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence.
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer are for the year 2005. Figures for 1997 to 2005 for (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority area and (c) each primary care trust area are given in Table 1 below.
	
		
			  Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasm of prostate( 1) , males: England, strategic health authorities and primary care organisations grouped within strategic health authorities( 2,3)  1997 to 2005 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			  England 19,940 20,428 22,297 24,415 27,724 27,878 28,074 30,320 28,886 
			   
			 North East SHA 894 1,064 1,231 1,248 1,410 1,393 1,488 1,347 1,403 
			 North West SHA 2,554 2,627 2,843 3,105 3,655 3,533 3,626 4,402 4,293 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA 1,859 1,823 1,931 2,379 2,655 2,620 2,669 2,998 2,729 
			 East Midlands SHA 1,465 1,531 1,749 1,942 2,121 2,143 2,104 2,498 2,619 
			 West Midlands SHA 2,085 2,247 2,415 2,727 3,083 3,241 3,274 3,502 3,350 
			 East of England SHA 2,256 2,272 2,627 2,957 3,222 3,304 3,247 3,293 3,453 
			 London SHA 2,602 2,666 2,753 2,820 3,103 3,147 3,119 3,174 2,875 
			 South East Coast SHA 2,090 2,001 2,238 2,305 2,472 2,340 2,324 2,439 2,317 
			 South Central SHA 1,487 1,642 1,826 2,069 2,389 2,390 2,350 2,588 2,169 
			 South West SHA 2,648 2,555 2,684 2,863 3,614 3,767 3,873 4,079 3,678 
			   
			  North East SHA  
			 County Durham 180 206 174 204 248 233 264 254 247 
			 Darlington 47 46 66 47 39 69 58 55 47 
			 Gateshead 74 98 114 94 116 126 120 101 148 
			 Hartlepool 34 36 43 40 47 45 60 48 36 
			 Middlesbrough 77 70 77 71 83 48 96 88 103 
			 Newcastle 77 102 116 152 127 182 127 123 91 
			 North Tees 42 63 83 82 87 88 76 75 79 
			 North Tyneside 72 74 92 126 134 122 142 125 106 
			 Northumberland 93 146 157 161 247 198 201 180 229 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 64 52 93 101 85 83 111 98 97 
			 South Tyneside 47 47 57 51 52 73 76 60 64 
			 Sunderland Teaching 87 124 159 119 145 126 157 140 156 
			   
			  North West SHA  
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan 54 72 76 112 138 131 134 192 209 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 44 43 62 61 68 57 68 72 59 
			 Blackpool 58 70 69 72 84 114 137 118 90 
			 Bolton 88 94 84 86 163 116 104 167 142 
			 Bury 65 68 77 68 101 126 100 125 136 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire 128 162 222 256 280 268 281 312 282 
			 Central Lancashire 205 193 192 223 252 226 254 321 379 
			 Cumbria 204 198 189 235 250 284 227 229 299 
			 East Lancashire 164 161 187 232 238 201 226 219 232 
			 Halton and St. Helens 107 118 123 81 123 130 135 173 143 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale 52 81 78 102 116 97 113 119 130 
			 Knowsley 46 40 45 57 58 78 68 111 74 
			 Liverpool 136 145 168 149 194 185 191 304 221 
			 Manchester 139 124 133 132 175 164 154 176 205 
			 North Lancashire 170 197 174 155 241 206 244 281 263 
			 Oldham 67 84 70 88 107 108 130 182 171 
			 Salford 97 77 72 88 69 74 107 120 126 
			 Sefton 108 101 128 128 151 159 174 263 228 
			 Stockport 141 117 134 155 195 191 176 208 228 
			 Tameside and Glossop 93 108 107 114 114 131 125 160 146 
			 Trafford 113 112 121 128 130 150 134 176 138 
			 Warrington 69 60 48 78 93 71 66 72 61 
			 Western Cheshire 87 76 165 175 175 139 152 156 177 
			 Wirral 131 140 124 154 151 144 131 157 166 
			   
			  Yorkshire and the Humber SHA  
			 Barnsley 75 68 69 79 78 111 105 114 120 
			 Bradford and Airedale 119 132 152 183 213 211 206 231 212 
			 Calderdale 66 76 74 84 102 69 89 114 111 
			 Doncaster 105 100 111 121 140 103 127 132 113 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 144 147 151 168 183 206 223 243 242 
			 Hull 74 102 88 93 112 107 112 148 116 
			 Kirklees 167 143 130 145 155 172 180 203 171 
			 Leeds 277 271 302 318 391 319 384 430 364 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 59 54 62 74 110 119 101 81 89 
			 North Lincolnshire 76 61 82 72 69 90 80 84 73 
			 North Yorkshire and York 291 359 352 485 534 528 549 632 575 
			 Rotherham 66 58 47 84 76 90 62 84 79 
			 Sheffield 204 105 182 320 338 289 264 294 277 
			 Wakefield District 136 145 129 152 153 206 186 206 186 
			   
			  East Midlands SHA  
			 Bassetlaw 47 34 35 42 43 53 61 38 60 
			 Derby City 82 65 86 107 116 119 124 138 144 
			 Derbyshire County 241 260 305 344 381 418 387 426 430 
			 Leicester City 65 63 84 103 98 111 89 103 95 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland 195 183 260 329 332 295 330 420 442 
			 Lincolnshire 283 340 350 359 442 453 512 567 612 
			 Northamptonshire 224 273 288 331 386 406 347 365 432 
			 Nottingham City 98 87 88 88 75 61 44 112 98 
			 Nottinghamshire County 218 214 248 216 238 210 206 320 295 
			   
			  West Midlands SHA  
			 Birmingham East and North 175 145 169 174 257 277 258 293 233 
			 Coventry Teaching 128 135 129 160 172 179 165 194 194 
			 Dudley 93 112 128 121 148 155 202 198 187 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching 87 102 87 90 113 124 128 149 112 
			 Herefordshire 82 72 79 103 119 108 103 124 108 
			 North Staffordshire 85 78 79 78 122 87 104 91 104 
			 Sandwell 109 116 166 143 151 187 157 131 132 
			 Shropshire County 158 166 158 187 207 219 214 208 218 
			 Solihull 109 123 119 139 154 181 149 189 155 
			 South Birmingham 138 139 158 167 236 221 222 223 220 
			 South Staffordshire 198 206 274 297 297 346 376 438 393 
			 Stoke on Trent 80 73 74 94 102 93 117 95 104 
			 Telford and Wrekin 54 58 62 57 61 72 81 70 66 
			 Walsall Teaching 90 96 97 HI 147 174 147 169 193 
			 Warwickshire 194 262 265 327 325 333 287 340 308 
			 Wolverhampton City 90 109 104 141 143 157 156 138 174 
			 Worcestershire 215 255 267 338 329 328 408 452 449 
			   
			  East of England SHA  
			 Bedfordshire 115 135 150 143 194 185 196 209 183 
			 Cambridgeshire 222 183 250 293 330 367 360 374 415 
			 East and North Hertfordshire 192 204 241 278 242 219 243 305 361 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 89 113 137 127 161 152 155 139 109 
			 Luton 45 35 44 56 49 52 47 78 76 
			 Mid Essex 124 151 164 151 193 148 198 141 203 
			 Norfolk 330 351 396 476 506 661 529 610 531 
			 North East Essex 105 120 123 202 222 195 182 172 207 
			 Peterborough 46 60 73 81 81 99 79 85 75 
			 South East Essex 186 162 162 210 232 203 228 212 177 
			 South West Essex 166 135 130 163 205 191 210 171 183 
			 Suffolk 320 280 331 329 372 386 450 437 394 
			 West Essex 113 155 166 199 222 223 205 206 229 
			 West Hertfordshire 203 188 260 249 213 223 165 154 310 
			   
			  London SHA  
			 Barking and Dagenham 74 75 85 74 79 74 64 73 63 
			 Barnet 92 130 150 129 141 153 131 155 134 
			 Bexley 103 110 108 100 102 113 94 111 79 
			 Brent Teaching 91 112 116 113 116 124 125 133 127 
			 Bromley 80 86 106 101 124 149 131 109 87 
			 Camden 80 68 71 50 78 98 75 58 83 
			 City and Hackney Teaching 82 68 69 69 84 88 83 87 74 
			 Croydon 124 105 112 123 151 199 172 182 224 
			 Ealing 105 103 114 98 104 102 134 121 121 
			 Enfield 102 94 107 112 124 130 126 124 112 
			 Greenwich Teaching 82 84 89 108 85 75 77 87 81 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 36 41 42 53 70 34 72 63 75 
			 Haringey Teaching 74 63 65 51 92 73 80 92 98 
			 Harrow 83 79 91 86 80 71 117 98 128 
			 Havering 109 112 123 136 155 167 157 190 141 
			 Hillingdon 99 118 79 87 80 90 109 131 92 
			 Hounslow 54 49 46 64 64 61 70 61 58 
			 Islington 79 65 61 65 75 56 55 79 67 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 57 59 55 73 68 69 66 75 59 
			 Kingston 72 59 73 75 83 86 85 83 68 
			 Lambeth 90 81 85 102 108 118 116 108 109 
			 Lewisham 91 99 88 120 140 135 93 116 75 
			 Newham 79 70 61 73 59 65 73 75 53 
			 Redbridge 102 109 113 104 123 91 108 94 83 
			 Richmond and Twickenham 71 68 70 64 70 105 78 79 66 
			 Southwark 59 63 102 101 95 94 91 88 80 
			 Sutton and Merton 140 157 147 189 199 170 182 192 148 
			 Tower Hamlets 57 59 65 41 55 58 67 40 41 
			 Waltham Forest 68 82 83 54 64 67 83 52 61 
			 Wandsworth 106 114 109 110 138 156 125 128 112 
			 Westminster 61 84 68 95 97 76 80 90 76 
			   
			  South East Coast SHA  
			 Brighton and Hove City 127 90 130 143 122 109 100 116 98 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald 234 208 249 232 237 226 188 223 216 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent 305 310 333 296 353 369 398 415 402 
			 Hastings and Rother 93 94 92 95 84 132 113 102 97 
			 Medway 99 87 81 82 109 124 104 108 126 
			 Surrey 523 487 528 574 579 540 533 523 522 
			 West Kent 295 310 305 324 416 347 410 382 361 
			 West Sussex 413 412 517 558 569 488 470 563 492 
			   
			  South Central SHA  
			 Berkshire East 142 148 154 173 234 210 259 275 221 
			 Berkshire West 195 220 259 240 216 216 272 294 221 
			 Buckinghamshire 211 207 267 287 356 346 325 376 292 
			 Hampshire 506 528 574 688 76! 852 736 815 733 
			 Isle of Wight NHS 58 47 71 52 101 92 102 103 104 
			 Milton Keynes 62 82 80 98 127 122 109 120 96 
			 Oxfordshire 169 237 247 345 357 367 340 391 314 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching 46 52 72 71 86 80 87 95 86 
			 Southampton City 99 123 103 111 153 109 127 125 101 
			   
			  South West SHA  
			 Bath and North East Somerset 93 82 88 98 111 144 130 137 124 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 234 217 233 263 280 304 269 311 290 
			 Bristol 141 152 164 141 171 211 213 208 179 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 276 255 314 277 404 383 365 345 356 
			 Devon 434 379 372 429 592 593 637 641 519 
			 Dorset 338 315 315 406 464 510 477 529 423 
			 Gloucestershire 236 253 284 312 363 305 331 383 372 
			 North Somerset 106 113 125 108 141 151 199 182 125 
			 Plymouth Teaching 106 115 94 36 147 109 159 192 143 
			 Somerset 254 261 239 264 362 369 357 395 415 
			 South Gloucestershire 100 84 109 109 109 156 168 145 138 
			 Swindon 55 60 61 75 70 102 72 96 109 
			 Torbay 81 67 71 85 88 78 106 113 121 
			 Wiltshire 194 203 217 265 313 353 391 403 368 
			 (1) Malignant neoplasm of prostate is defined as code C61 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). (2) Based on NHS boundaries as of October 2006. (3) Each primary care organisation (PCO) is listed under the strategic health authority (SHA) to which it reports. The 152 primary care organisations include 148 primary care trusts (PCTs), and four care organisations (CO's). The PCOs are not all coterminous with SHAssee Annex C footnotes at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/gcography/health_areas.asp  Note: The numbers of cases for the strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been grouped together at the top of the table because the total cases for each SHA are not always the same as the total cases for the primary care organisations (PCOs) reporting to the SHA. This is because PCOs boundaries are not all coterminous with SHAs boundaries as detailed in footnote 3 of Table 1.  Source: Office for National Statistics

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Parliamentary Session

John Baron: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1377-78W, on the parliamentary session, for how many hours the House  (a) sat,  (b) considered primary legislation and  (c) considered delegated legislation in each (i) calendar year and (ii) session between 1984 and 1990.

Chris Bryant: The information requested is as follows. The figures refer to time spent on the Floor of the House. Information about time spent in Committee could be provided only at disproportionate cost:
	
		
			   Number of hours the House sat  Number of hours considering primary legislation on the Floor of the House  Number of hours considering delegated legislation on the Floor of the House 
			  Session  Hours  Minutes  Hours  Minutes  Hours  Minutes 
			 1983-84 1,914 33 615 7 195 35 
			 1984-85 1,566 17 502 52 156 30 
			 1985-86 1,534 30 495 14 106 1 
			 1986-87 930 26 298 1 60 18 
			 1987-88 1,978 40 685 10 156 35 
			 1988-89 1,581 41 523 6 88 1 
			 1989-90 1,468 28 434 58 104 29 
			 1990-91 1,373 53 395 54 76 5 
		
	
	
		
			   Number of hours the House sat  Number of hours considering primary legislation on the Floor of the House  Number of hours considering delegated legislation on the Floor of the House 
			   Hours  Minutes  Hours  Minutes  Hours  Minutes 
			 1984 1,574 24 514 57 142 23 
			 1985 1,541 27 483 45 144 51 
			 1986 1,504 3 501 35 107 46 
			 1987 1,283 39 377 40 105 42 
			 1988 1,576 13 592 12 102 20 
			 1989 1,587 51 504 41 97 30 
			 1990 1,531 2 467 24 94 40

TREASURY

Building Societies: Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what support the Government has provided to building societies during the recent economic difficulties.

Ian Pearson: The recapitalisation scheme announced on 8 October provides three measures aimed to help not just UK banks (including foreign subsidiaries) but also UK building societies. The extension of the Special Liquidity Scheme will provide short-term liquidity. The recapitalisation through shares (both ordinary and preference) as well as Permanent Interest Bearing Shares (PIBS), will strengthen institutions' resources, allowing them to restructure their finances while maintaining their support for the real economy. The credit guarantee scheme will ensure that the banking system has the necessary funds in the medium term. This scheme, which is now being replicated worldwide, is available for all UK building societies.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people aged over  (a) 55 and  (b) 60 years were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits.

Angela Eagle: Nine new recruits were aged over 55 of which four were aged over 60. This accounts for 2.4 per cent. and 1.0 per cent. of new recruits respectively.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely effect of any decision to lower fuel duties in Northern Ireland on tax revenues.

Angela Eagle: Fuel duty is a national tax, whose aim is to fund public services across the United Kingdom while supporting the Government's UK-wide environmental policies. A single fuel duty rate therefore applies for the entire United Kingdom.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Stephen Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual revenue which would be forgone by raising the higher rate of income tax threshold to  (a) 45,000 and  (b) 50,000.

Stephen Timms: The threshold above which the higher rate of income tax applies depends on the level of the personal allowance and the basic rate limit, either of which could be varied to give the thresholds requested for a taxpayer aged under 65.
	Table 1 of the Generic Tax Tables 2008-09: Additional full-year yield/cost from increasing the Basic Rate Limit (BRL) and higher rates of tax in 2008-09 provides information on the cost of a range of increases to the BRL, and is available in the Library of the House. The table excludes any estimates of behavioural response.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Stephen Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were paying the higher rate of income tax in  (a) 1997 and  (b) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: Information on the number of higher rate taxpayers for the period 1990-91 to 2008-09 can be found in Table 2.1 Number of individual income taxpayers on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm

Interest Rates

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking in partnership with the Bank of England to reduce the spread between official interest rates and the three-month London inter-bank offered rate; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Chancellor announced on 8 October a comprehensive package to address sector wide concerns regarding liquidity and solvency and to restore confidence.

Mortgages

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the ratio is between the cost of premises mortgaged by Northern Rock and the average earnings of their mortgagees  (a) nationally,  (b) in the North East and  (c) in each county in the North East.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr (Adam Price) on 21 July 2008,  Official Report, column 728W.

Taxation: Shipping

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons were for the decision by HM Revenue and Customs to review the guidance on vessels that do not qualify under the seafarers' earnings deduction income tax rules.

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent representations he has received on seafarers' earnings deduction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he plans to meet the Secretary of State for Transport to discuss the effects of the reclassification of seafarers' earnings deduction on the recruitment and retention of British seafarers.

Stephen Timms: The background to the decision by HM Revenue and Customs to revise its guidance on seafarer's earnings deduction (SED) is a decision by the Special Commissioners, an independent appellate body, in the case of Torr and Others  v. CIR (SpC679). The great majority of seafarers who claim SED will not be affected by this decision.
	I am aware of the concerns raised by the Special Commissioners' decision in this case, which centred on whether the vessel on which the appellants performed their duties was a ship or an 'offshore installation' within the meaning of the legislation. The Special Commissioners decided it had been operating as an offshore installation, and refused the appellants' claims to SED.
	Broadly speaking, an offshore installation is a vessel that is engaged in exploiting mineral resources and is not mobile while doing so. HMRC has written to tax practitioners about this decision and will discuss the implementation with interested stakeholders before the revised guidance is issued.
	Treasury Ministers regularly receive representation on tax issues from a variety of sources and hold discussions and meetings with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues.

Welfare Tax Credits: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Parliamentary Business Unit of the Tax Credit Office plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West's letter of 14 July 2008 on his constituents Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell.

Stephen Timms: The Tax Credit Office sent a reply to the hon. Member about his constituents on 10 September 2008 and are sending the hon. Member a copy of their letter.

Welfare Tax Credits: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Parliamentary Business Unit of the Tax Credit Office plans to respond to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West's correspondence of 5 August 2008 on his constituent Susan Marshall.

Stephen Timms: The Tax Credit Office replied to the hon. Member about his constituent on 10 October 2008 and apologises for the delay in doing so.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Arts: Training

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether his Department has commissioned research on the extent to which further education institutions are equipping students with the skills needed to help them make a contribution to the creative economy.

Si�n Simon: The Department has not itself commissioned any research into this issue. In November 2006 DCMS published on their website the findings of an Education and Skills Working Group review of the contribution education and skills make to the creative economy agenda. This was part of their wider creative economy programme, and included the mapping of existing provision.
	In addition, a key part of the work of the Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) is to set out the current and future skill needs of employers in their sectors. Sector skills agreements identify the skills priorities and actions that need to be taken by stakeholders across the education and skills system. Government have provided support for the SSCs in carrying out this work. In relation to the creative economy, there are three lead SSCs that have each published sector agreements. These are Creative and Cultural Skills (advertising, crafts, music, performing, heritage, design and arts sectors), Skillset (broadcasting, photo imaging, audio visual and publishing sectors) and Skillfast (fashion and textiles).

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much was spent on overnight accommodation by his Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.

Si�n Simon: The information is not available in the form requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Dorneywood

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 19 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1187W, on Dorneywood: official hospitality, what use his Department has made of Dorneywood for official engagements in the last 12 months.

Si�n Simon: My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has the use of Dorneywood as an official residence. The Chancellor and the Trustees have made Dorneywood available to other Ministers to use for official engagements.
	Since the creation of the Department in July 2007, DIUS has not made use of Dorneywood for official engagements.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Further Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Learning and Skills Council on delays in education maintenance allowance payments for students in further education colleges.

Si�n Simon: Ministers from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) hold regular meetings with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which includes discussion of learner support and Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs). The latest meeting took place with the LSC on 21 October 2008.
	The LSC is responsible for the delivery of EMA and is providing regular updates on performance. The position as it relates to delivery of EMA is set out in my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Schools and Learners' letter of 8 October to the chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee.

Energy Technologies Institute

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how projects funded by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) are selected; what independent assessment is undertaken of applications for funding; and what evaluation is undertaken of the value for money of ETI funding.

Si�n Simon: The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) commissions technology projects that have the capability, when subsequently deployed, to reduce CO2 emissions and provide reliable, affordable energy. The ETI engages in a wide consultation process to identify the key project areas where ETI funding would make a substantial impact. These project areas are then published on the ETI website, and potential project consortia are invited to respond. Detailed technical proposals are assessed by selection panels of specialists, independent of the proposal. The value for money of a project is decided on the basis of a number of factors including the CO2 impact and the provision of affordable and reliable energy, in addition to the benefit offered by the project to the wider industry.

Foundation Degrees

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which organisation regulates the quality of foundation degrees.

David Lammy: Foundation degrees are validated and quality assured by universities and they undergo the same rigorous quality assurance procedures as other higher education qualifications. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) safeguards the standards of higher education qualifications by working with higher education institutions to define academic standards and quality.

Further Education: Learning Disability

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what criteria are used to determine whether further education college courses for people with learning difficulties are eligible for public funding; and what contingency arrangements are in place to help people on these courses that have recently lost funding.

Si�n Simon: Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are a priority group for the Learning and Skills Council.
	Learning plans for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are individualised to support the learners' need, maximise their chances of progression and to ensure positive outcomes from their programmes of study. This includes the promotion of employability and independent living skills where appropriate.
	Where possible the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) expects programmes for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to include approved qualifications and ensure all learning is accredited.
	In cases where low quality provision may have to be replaced, contingency arrangements will be handled by the local LSC office who negotiate alternative provision with local partners to minimise any disruption to the learner.

Higher Education: Admissions

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what Government grants are  (a) available to and  (b) planned to be introduced for universities for improving and widening social access to higher education.

David Lammy: The Government make available some 350 million each year through the widening participation premium in the institutional funding distributed by the Higher Education Funding Council. In addition, by paying the up front costs of tuition fees and providing extra support for students from families on modest incomes, the Government have committed well over 1 billion a year to enable universities to improve and widen social access to higher education. But whatever the level of funding provided by the Government, institutions that draw from a narrow social base will ultimately lose out if they deny themselves access to talented students from all backgrounds. That is the fundamental case for both widening participation and fair access.

Physics: Higher Education

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how much the Government have spent on university physics departments since 1997;
	(2)  how much research funding the Government have provided to university physics departments in each financial year since 1998.

David Lammy: Figures for quality related research funding for physics paid by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to HEFCE are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  HEFCE researching funding 
			million 
			 1998-99 34.9 
			 1999-2000 37.7 
			 2000-01 38.3 
			 2001-02 38.3 
			 2002-03 39.0 
			 2003-04 45.0 
			 2004-05 47.6 
			 2005-06 55.9 
			 2006-07 59.5 
			 2007-08 63.1 
			 2008-09 63.5 
		
	
	Figures for physics teaching cannot be provided. HEFCE pays teaching grant as a block to institutions. It does not make separate payments to departments for teaching.
	Research Council expenditure in university physics departments is as follows
	
		
			million 
			 2001-02 304.26 
			 2002-03 320.61 
			 2003-04 345.96 
			 2004-05 402.61 
			 2005-06 425.10 
			 2006-07 443.12 
		
	
	Comparable data prior to 2001 are not available.
	Further information on Research Councils funding for physics is available at
	http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/reviews/physics/prrcfda.pdf

PRIME MINISTER

10 Downing Street: Official Hospitality

Greg Hands: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what events have been held at 10 Downing Street since 1 August 2008;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of invitations sent out for the last 10 events held at 10 Downing Street;
	(3)  by what process the themes for events held at 10 Downing Street are chosen;
	(4)  whether any hon. or right hon. Members other than Cabinet Ministers have been invited to host or co-host events in 10 Downing Street in the last year;
	(5)  what guidance has been issued on the apportionment of costs arising from events held at 10 Downing Street;
	(6)  on how many occasions events were held at 10 Downing Street at a cost to the public purse in 2007-08; and what the total cost was of such events;
	(7)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the attendance list for each of the last 10 events held at 10 Downing Street;
	(8)  from which budget the cost of drinks provided at events held at 10 Downing Street is met.

Gordon Brown: Information on official and charity receptions held at 10 Downing Street is published by means of an annual list as soon as it is ready at the end of the financial year.
	These events consist of official dinners and events for foreign leaders and other dignitaries, receptions for business leaders, community and charity representatives and sportsmen and women. In the past few years, an increased programme of events at Downing street has been introduced in order to give access to as many people as possible, including children and regular receptions for a wide cross-section of the community.
	Information for 2007-08 was published on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, column 108-110WS.

Cabinet: Meetings

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 17 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2229W, on the Cabinet: meetings, if he will notify the hon. Members for North Cornwall, Worthing West, South West Devon and Perth and North Perthshire in advance of the publication date of the costs associated with holding the Cabinet meeting in Birmingham.

Gordon Brown: Hon. Members will be informed in the usual way.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Prime Minister how much champagne was ordered by the Prime Minister's Office for consumption at events at  (a) 10 Downing Street and  (b) Chequers in each of the last six months.

Gordon Brown: The information requested is not held.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants in his Office in the last 12 months.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Secretary, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend (Kevin Brennan) on 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 294W.

Departmental Pay

David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in his Office in the last 12 months; and at what total cost.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) on 22 October 2008,  Official Report, column 453W.

Departmental Special Advisers

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list  (a) his special envoys and  (b) their (i) professions, (ii) responsibilities as envoys and (iii) dates of starting and ending their roles.

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Prime Minister to whom or which Department the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Energy Issues reports; what his terms of reference are; and from which Department he would draw expenses, should any be incurred.

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether he plans to appoint a special representative for Cyprus; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he plans to appoint an envoy for forestry; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the ministerial appointments press notice issued by my Office. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House and is also available on the No. 10 website at:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/press-notices
	In addition, my right hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd), who has served since 2003 as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Human Rights in Iraq, continues to perform her very important role.
	They are entitled to claim reasonable travel and subsistence expenses incurred as part of their work. These expenses are paid in accordance with existing departmental guidelines on allowances and subsistence.

Departmental Staff

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the roles of  (a) Wilf Stevenson and  (b) Nicola Burdett are in his Office; and if he will make a statement on their remuneration;
	(2)  what the role is of Damian McBride in his Office; and if he will make a statement about his remuneration.

Gordon Brown: Special advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers.

Economic Situation

Ann Winterton: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Leader of the Opposition before the announcement of the bank rescue package; and when those discussions were held.

Gordon Brown: HM Opposition has been kept informed where appropriate.

Employment: Midwives

Harry Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish a response to the e-petition submitted via his website calling for a jobs guarantee for newly-qualified midwives.

Gordon Brown: A response has been published on the No 10 website:
	http://www.Number10.gov.uk/Page17219
	A copy of this webpage has been placed in the Library of the House.

Energy: Departmental Responsibilities

Steve Webb: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place responsibility for the energy-saving activities of the market transformation programme with the Department for Energy and Climate Change; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made on 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 32WS, and the accompanying Cabinet Office paper that was placed in the Library. Defra continues to lead on sustainable consumption and production.

EU Trade

Mark Harper: To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he gave to the effect on the Doha world trade talks of the recall of the British Commissioner holding the post of EU Trade Commissioner.

Gordon Brown: The recent G8 communiqu set out our joint desire to restart the trade talks as quickly as possible. The UK will continue to play a central role within the EU and work with other key players to ensure a successful completion of the Doha round. My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Ashton of Upholland's appointment as Trade Commissioner was approved by the European Parliament on 22 October 2008 by an overwhelming majority of 538 in favour to 40 against.

Israel

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he gave to visiting Sderot during his recent visit to Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: I visited Israel at the invitation of the Knesset Speaker and Prime Minister Olmert. During my talks, I made clear that the UK Government fully supports the Egyptian brokered ceasefire that has succeeded in greatly reducing the number of rocket attacks targeting Sderot. The Government remain committed to helping all sides in achieving a settlement which provides security for Israel and justice for the Palestinians. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary (David Miliband) met the Mayor of Sderot, Eli Moyall, in March to hear his account of the situation.

Lord Mandelson

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister at what time and on what date Lord Mandelson's appointment as Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform formally commenced.

Gordon Brown: I refer my right hon. Friend to the Ministerial Appointments press notices released by my Office. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House and are also available on the No 10 website:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/press-notices.

Ministers: Transport

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister if he will encourage Ministers with business in the House to walk between their departmental buildings in Whitehall and Victoria Street and the Palace of Westminster.

Gordon Brown: This is a matter for individual Ministers who continue to travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements.

Regional Economic Council of Ministers

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how meetings of the Regional Economic Council of Ministers will be accountable to  (a) Parliament and  (b) the public; if he will place copies of the minutes of the meetings on a Government website and in the Library; and whether the Council will be a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000;
	(2)  whether the  (a) minutes of meetings of and  (b) papers discussed at the National Economic Council will be a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2006.

Gordon Brown: The Regional Economic Council will support my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Darling) and the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Mandelson) to carry out their departmental responsibilities. Any freedom of information (FOI) issues will be dealt with by HM Treasury and BERR, which are public authorities within the FOI Act. The Cabinet Office will deal with any FOI requests relating to the National Economic Council.
	Any requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act are considered on a case by case basis.

JUSTICE

Complementary Medicine: Channel Islands

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when officials in his Department next intend to meet representatives of the Health Food Manufacturers Association to discuss the import of food supplements and herbal remedies from the Channel Islands; and if he will make a statement on the progress made to date in securing the compliance of the Crown Dependencies with European legislation on food supplements and medicines.

Michael Wills: Officials in the Ministry of Justice will next meet representatives from the Health Food Manufacturers Association on 11 November to discuss the import of food supplements and herbal remedies from the Channel Islands and the progress the Crown Dependencies are making with compliance with the Food Supplements Directive.

Departmental Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken to meet the learning and development needs of  (a) youth offender team managers,  (b) prison governors and  (c) probation officers in their role as data controllers.

David Hanson: All activities undertaken by the Wiring Up Youth Justice Programme are in addition to the work these organisations (prison service, probation service and local authorities) already have under way in this area.
	The key supplementary activities include:
	Analysis of learning requirements and the extent to which these learning needs are currently being met by their local authority.
	Input from the Information Commissioner's office at a series of regional events.
	Emphasis on the importance of registering as data controllersthis registration gives access to a wide range of support and training materials.
	Provision of a range of communications activity on this subject.
	Likewise, there is a code of connection to all new YJS information sharing services which also provides material and guidance in terms of information management.

E-Asset IT System

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the projected cost is of implementing fully the E-Asset IT system;
	(2)  what the cost to date has been of implementing the E-Asset IT system;
	(3)  which  (a) secure children's homes, secure training centres and youth offender institutions and  (b) other bodies within his responsibility are currently using fully the E-Asset IT system;
	(4)  which secure children's homes, secure training centres and youth offender institutions are not using fully the E-Asset IT system;
	(5)  when the E-Asset Sentence Management System will be fully implemented across the secure children's home, secure training centre and youth offender institution estates;

David Hanson: The E-Asset project started in July 2006. The projected cost of fully implementing the E-Asset system is 8.9 million. This cost can be broken down into 4.8 million for technology development and hosting; and 4.1 million expenditure on business change activities associated with roll-out and implementation across the juvenile secure estatee.g. training.
	The cost to date (since July 2006) of implementing the E-Asset system is 7.49 million. This can be broken down into 4.1 million for technology development and hosting and 3.39 million for implementation (roll-out and training).
	All establishments in the secure estate have successfully installed encryption devices in preparation for national roll-out. The rollout of the E-Asset system is currently running to original schedule and budget and on track for completion by April 2009. The intention during 2009-10 is to consolidate system usage through a programme of post implementation review, to ensure it is being used to its maximum potential. All establishments within the juvenile secure estate for England and Wales, whether run by HMPS, local authorities or the private sector are committed to implementing the E-Asset system.
	The following establishments are fully implemented as at 20 October 2008:
	 Private Establishments
	Ashfield
	 HM Prison Service Establishments
	HMPS YOI Castington
	HMPS YOI Downview
	HMPS YOI Eastwood Park
	HMPS YOI Feltham
	HMPS YOI Foston Hall
	HMPS YOI Hindley
	HMPS YOI Huntercombe
	HMPS YOI Lancaster Farms
	HMPS YOI New Hall
	HMPS YOI Thorn Cross
	HMPS YOI Warren Hill
	HMPS YOI Wetherby
	 Secure Training Centre Establishments
	Hassockfield
	Medway
	Rainsbrook
	 Local Authority Secure Children's Homes
	Aldine House
	Aycliffe
	Barton Moss
	Kyloe House
	Sutton Place
	These 21 sites represent 65 per cent. of the capacity of the secure estate (in terms of beds). In addition, the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales have full access to the E-Asset system. In future, it is envisaged that aspects of the system may be viewable by Youth Offending Teams to ensure joint Sentence Planning and improved provision for effective community resettlement.
	The following custodial establishments are scheduled to implement the E-Asset system by April 2009.
	 Private Establishments
	Parc YOI
	 HM Prison Service Establishments
	HMPS YOI Brinsford
	HMPS YOI Stoke Heath
	HMPS YOI Werrington
	 Secure Training Centre Establishments
	Oakhill
	 Local Authority Secure Children's Homes
	Atkinson Unit
	Clayfields House
	East Moor
	Hillside
	Lincolnshire
	Orchard Lodge
	Red Bank
	Swannick Lodge
	Vinney Green
	The E-Asset Sentence Management system will be fully rolled out across the juvenile secure estate by April 2009.

Electoral Register: Internet

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost has been of developing the co-ordinated online record of electors to date.

Michael Wills: The costs of developing the co-ordinated online record of electors (CORE) to date, excluding staff costs, is 2,781,840 made up as follows:
	1,726,631 to enable local authorities' electoral management systems to output data in an agreed Election Mark Up Language (EML) format
	23,111.38 for the feasibility study on the implementation of national access arrangements
	5,760 for a business impact assessment on data security
	6,338 for 13 workshops involving over 280 electoral administrators in England and Wales and Scottish Assessors
	1.02 million grant in aid for local authorities to support the implementation of the Electoral Registration Data Standards, introduced following a direction from Bridget Prentice made under section 52(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c2) (as amended). The direction requires all Electoral Registration Officers in Great Britain to ensure that any electoral registration data held on electronic systems is formatted in compliance with the standards.
	It is not possible to quantify the total cost of staff employed on the CORE project since the inception of CORE in 2003 because this information is not available. In January 2008, the CORE project began work on the development and definition of the functionality and services that the CORE Information System will provide, and in April 2008 passed through an OGC Gateway 1 review. Following the recommendation of this review the project team has been expanded to support this work. The total cost of the project team from January 2008 has been 187,259.

Electoral Register: Internet

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans there are to consult on developing the next phases of the co-ordinated online record of electors.

Michael Wills: Throughout 2008 we have been holding meetings and workshops with potential users of the system to gather user requirements, identify issues and test assumptions around how the CORE Service and its IT and business systems will operate. This will inform development of a high level statement of requirements for the CORE system. It is expected that the high level statement of user requirements will be complete by March 2009. The Government would consult on the detail of any proposed CORE Scheme Order that followed this.

Electoral Register: Internet

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether a full cost-benefit analysis of introducing a co-ordinated electoral registration service has been undertaken by the Department.

Michael Wills: There are currently no plans to introduce a co-ordinated electoral registration service.
	However, the Co-ordinated Online Record of Electors (CORE) project aims to provide a single authoritative source of electoral registration data through assembling copies of local electoral registers into a single national database.
	An initial cost-benefit analysis has been undertaken as part of the business case for the project. The cost-benefit analysis will develop as the business case develops, and will inform decisions on the final scope of the CORE scheme and on the development of the project. A final business case, including a final cost-benefit analysis, cannot be settled until the CORE scheme is specified in detail and a procurement strategy is agreed. The CORE project team is currently gathering user requirements to inform development of a high level statement of requirements, which will inform decisions on scope, procurement and define the detailed specification, and the business case and cost-benefit analysis will be updated in the light of that work.

Electoral Register: Internet

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the status is of the development of the coordinated online record of electors project.

Michael Wills: The CORE project is currently moving forward with two parallel strands of work: implementation of electoral registration data standards and the gathering of user requirements for the CORE system and CORE service to service the detailed specification of the system.
	In April 2008, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Bridget Prentice) issued direction under section 52(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c.2)(as amended) with which Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) in Great Britain are required to comply by 1 December 2009. The direction requires that any electoral registration data held on electronic systems are formatted in compliance with the standards.
	Throughout 2008 officials have been holding meetings and workshops with potential users of the system to gather user requirements, identify issues and test assumptions around how the CORE Service and its IT and business systems will operate. This will inform development of a 'high level statement of requirements'. It is expected that this high level statement of user requirements will be complete by March 2009. That statement will inform decision about the design, scope and build of the CORE system.
	We continue to engage with the Electoral Commission as the preferred choice to fulfil the role of the CORE Keeper.

Electoral Register: Internet

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether a final decision on the scope and specification of the Co-ordinated Online Register of Electors project has been made.

Michael Wills: A final decision has not yet been made on the scope and specification of the CORE service. The CORE project team is currently gathering user requirements to inform development of a high level statement of requirements: this in turn will inform decisions on scope and the detailed specification. Throughout 2008 we have been holding meetings and workshops with potential users of the system to gather user requirements, identify issues and test assumptions around how the CORE Service and its IT and business systems will operate. It is expected that the high level statement of user requirements will be complete by March 2009.

Electronic Voting

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there are any plans to introduce e-voting mechanisms before the local and European elections in 2009.

Michael Wills: No. The Government do not plan to introduce e-voting for the 2009 European or local elections.
	The way forward more generally on e-voting will be informed by the valuable experience gained from earlier pilots, analysis of the responses to the election day consultation, and further development work including the possible further testing of e-voting solutions in non-statutory elections.

Electronic Voting

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there are any plans for further e-voting pilots in the next 12 months.

Michael Wills: The Government have no plans for further e-voting pilots in statutory elections at this stage.

Electronic Voting

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget is for work on remote electronic voting over the next two years.

Michael Wills: Detailed budgets for future years have not yet been specifically allocated. Further work on remote electronic voting will be funded as necessary from existing budgets agreed for Electoral Modernisation, subject to ministerial and HM Treasury approval. The Government are currently taking stock of the previous work on remote e-voting, including the experience gained in earlier pilots, and the responses to the consultation on election day, to inform the way forward.

Energy Savings Trust

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding his Department provided for the Energy Savings Trust in 2007-08; and how much it is providing for 2008-09.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 13 October 2008
	I have been asked to reply.
	DEFRA provided 29 million for the Energy Savings Trust in the period 2007-08 and will provide 36.2 million for the 2008-09 period.

HM Courts Service: Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what percentage of HM Courts Service staff are now linked to the LIBRA system;
	(2)  when LIBRA will become operational across the whole magistrates court network.

Bridget Prentice: As at 17 October 2008, 77 per cent. of magistrates courts are linked to the Libra application. This equates to approximately 75 per cent. of our anticipated total user numbers. Libra will be deployed and operational in all magistrates courts in England and Wales by 9 December 2008.

Judiciary: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the implications of the deficit in the Judicial Contributory Pension Fund.

Jack Straw: The Judicial Pension Scheme is unfunded, so when benefits fall due for payment they are met from Government revenues. There is no actual pension fund or deficit. However, in any particular year, income from contributions from administering bodies and scheme members is used to offset the costs of paying benefits to pensioners.

Matrimonial Proceedings: Religion

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance is issued on the validity of  (a) fatwas and  (b) other rulings issued by religious authorities in the determination of matrimonial disputes.

Bridget Prentice: We do not issue any guidance on the validity of fatwas or other rulings by a religious authority because there is no need for such guidance. Shari'a law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and there is no intention to change this position. Similarly, we do not accommodate any other religious legal system in this country's laws. Any order in a family case is made or approved by a family judge applying English family law.
	If, in a family dispute dealing with money or children, the parties to a judgment in a Shari'a council wish to have this recognised by English authorities, they are at liberty to draft a consent order embodying the terms of the agreement and submit it to an English court. This allows English judges to scrutinise it to ensure that it complies with English legal tenets.
	The use of religious courts to deal with personal disputes is well established. Any member of a religious community has the option to use religious courts and to agree to abide by their decisions but these decisions are subject to national law and cannot be enforced through the national courts save in certain limited circumstances when the religious court acts as arbitrator within the meaning of the Arbitration Act 1996. Arbitration does not apply to family law and the only decisions which can be enforced are those relating to civil disputes.
	Religious courts are always subservient to the established family courts of England and Wales.

Medicine: Guernsey

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any bills originating in Guernsey making provisions for the law relating to medicine have received Royal Assent in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: In the past two years no medicines legislation from Guernsey has been submitted for Royal Assent.

National Probation Service for England and Wales: IT

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect of not completing the implementation earlier in 2008 of C-NOMIS to the Probation Service in terms of end to end management of offenders.

David Hanson: The revised NOMIS Programme, which replaces C-NOMIS, will deliver the same objectives through a strategy that delivers a component based solution rather than a single solution.
	Within the National Probation Service (NPS) steps have been taken to replace at risk case management systems in three areas. All probation areas in the longer term will receive a centralised version of a redeveloped case management system known as Delius. This development will enhance the exchange of information between probation areas and provide potential for data sharing with the Prison Service (HMPS).
	The two existing Offender Risk Assessment Systems (OASys), used by HMPS and NPS, will be replaced by an improved, centralised system which will enhance sharing of information and support end to end offender management.

Offenders: Deportation

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for which categories of offences those foreign national prisoners who have been released in the UK without being deported in the last five years were originally convicted.

David Hanson: The information requested is not available and can be obtained only by cross-referencing records held by the Ministry of Justice and UK Border Agency at disproportionate cost.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to ensure that  (a) existing and  (b) potential users of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal have full and accurate information about the changes being made to the system; and what consultation his Department has undertaken with voluntary sector organisations on the changes being made to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

Bridget Prentice: SENDIST judiciary have been concerned to make sure that full and accurate information was provided to users as soon as it was confirmed and available and to engage users in the development of new processes. Two newsletters have been issued to users; the first in July and the second in October. Both contained detailed information on changes to processes and the latter addressed specific issues of concern raised by users. There has also been a service user group made up of representatives from a range of voluntary groups and local education authorities working with the judiciary to ensure the rules, practice directions and case management system are fit for purpose. SENDIST judiciary and members of the service user group will be providing free training on the rules, practice directions and case management system for parent representatives from November.
	Information on the draft practice directions was available on the SENDIST website in July and the draft practice directions themselves were also sent out to a wide range of service user groups in early October.
	There has been a two-part consultation process on the changes for those jurisdictions, including SENDIST that will move into the new tribunals structure. Transforming Tribunals discussed the proposals for the new tribunals structure and ran from 28 November 2007 to 22 February 2008. The Health, Education and Social Care Chamber Rules were consulted upon from 29 May until 11 July 2008.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the new arrangements for the Special Education Needs and Disability Panel on access to the tribunal for parents without legal representation.

Bridget Prentice: The new case management system will ensure that evidence is limited to relevant issues, that witnesses at hearings are restricted to those strictly necessary to the case and are fairly balanced between parties and that adjournments largely avoided. This new process will enable the tribunal to provide more help to unrepresented parents to ensure they provide, and also obtain from the local education authority, the right information at the appropriate stages of the process. Representatives from voluntary sector groups providing advice and assistance to parents have had input into the design of the processes. Many parents successfully appeal without the need for legal representation at hearings and it is not anticipated there will be any increase in the level of need for such legal representation.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential cost implications of the new system for special educational needs and disability tribunals for  (a) parents,  (b) local authorities and  (c) voluntary and advocacy organisations.

Bridget Prentice: Case management may result in some additional upfront cost in some individual cases: whether in the form of paperwork to provide better information or a preliminary hearing, in complex cases, to identify the issues and tell the parties what they need to provide. But the case management system is designed, in the interests of the child, to ensure speedier resolution, shorter final hearings and the avoidance of adjournments by identifying the issues at an early stage and getting the right information to the tribunal at the right time. Overall, it is expected that this will lead to a reduction in time spent and cost for users.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the new case management system for the Special Educational Needs and Disability Panel has been piloted.

Bridget Prentice: A live case was registered on 3 October with the case management hearing scheduled for mid-December and the final hearing set for a date in February. With the consent of the parties it is being used as a pilot for the new case management system. Where possible other cases will be used as pilots before the system is wholly implemented. Operation of the new system will be kept under review.

Voting Methods

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when his Department plans to publish the response to the consultation on weekend voting.

Michael Wills: The Election Day: Weekend Voting consultation ended on 26 September. Analysis of the responses received is now under way. We aim to publish the consultation response as soon as practicable.

Werrington Young Offender Institution

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the Independent Monitoring Board Annual Report on HM Young Offender Institution Werrington, what assessment he has made of the availability of places for young offenders from the Potteries area; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Youth Justice Board considers there to be adequate local provision for young people from the Stoke-on-Trent area, who are usually placed in the closest suitable establishmentsthe young offender institutions at Stoke Heath, Brinsford and Werrington. On occasion, young people from the area may be placed further away, where there are good reasons for doing so, such as the need to access the regime in a secure training centre or secure children's home.
	During the period covered by the Independent Monitoring Board's report (1 June 2006 to 31 May 2007), population pressures on the under-18 estate made it necessary to move some young people from the south of England to the Midlands. For that reason Werrington received a number of young people from the south of England. Since the opening of Cookham Wood as a young offender institution earlier this year, such placements have not been necessary and, other than in exceptional circumstances, the Youth Justice Board does not envisage a need for them in the foreseeable future.

Young Offender Institutions: Social Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young offender institutions have specialist social workers in permanent posts working in them.

David Hanson: 12 young people's establishments in the young people's estate and dedicated prison service units for young women have social workers in post.

Young Offenders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young people attended more than  (a) one,  (b) two and  (c) three young offender institutions in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service does not routinely keep figures for the number of young people attending more than  (a) one,  (b) two and  (c) three young offender institutions.

Youth Action Plan

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with Ministers from the Department for Children, Schools and Families on the drafting of the Youth Action Plan.

David Hanson: The Youth Crime Action Plan was conceived and developed jointly by the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Home Office. Ministers from all three Departments had regular contact throughout the drafting of the plan and we continue to work together to oversee its implementation.

Youth Justice Management Information System

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he will publish the results of the pilot of the Youth Justice Management Information System.

David Hanson: The pilot of the Youth Justice Management Information System has successfully concluded. From an early stage the project has been sharing its findings with its stakeholders, including youth offending teams, secure establishments and local criminal justice boards. A final report of the pilot has been distributed to the Youth Justice Management Information System project board. The objectives of the pilot were met and it is seen to be successful and is currently deploying nationally.
	The application has over 120 active users. It has already taken over responsibility for the production of daily management reports on the occupancy levels of the secure estate and has delivered significant efficiency benefits.
	The project is now in national rollout across .the youth justice system. The system will be used by practitioners within the Youth Justice Board, all youth offending teams across England and Wales, and all juvenile secure establishments. The national roll-out is on schedule to conclude in March 2009.
	There are no plans to formally publish a report on the pilots.

Youth Justice Management Information System

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the estimated cost is of implementing the Connectivity system across the youth justice network;
	(2)  what the cost to date has been of developing the Connectivity network;
	(3)  when the Connectivity application software and encryption devices will be installed by all youth offender teams;
	(4)  which  (a) youth offender teams and  (b) non-HM Prison Service secure establishments are (i) using fully and (ii) not using fully Connectivity information sharing in their everyday operation.

David Hanson: The Connectivity system has taken two years from design through to implementation at a cost of approximately 6 million.
	The Connectivity project started in July 2006. The cost to date of developing, maintaining and upgrading the connectivity network as at September 2008 is 5.28 million.
	The Connectivity encryption devices are already rolled out across all 157 youth offending teams allowing secure sharing of information. The application software is fully developed and is scheduled to be completely rolled out by April of 2009.
	The programme is taking a two-stage approach to secure information sharing between YOTs and secure establishments. The first stage which utilises secure email is now fully complete, involving all 157 YOTs and 35 secure establishments. The second stage, which involves system to system connectivity, has been successfully implemented to YOTs and secure establishment in the Yorkshire and Humber and north-east regions (containing nine YOTs and two secure establishments).
	Full implementation of the Connectivity solution (stage two) is scheduled for April 2009.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burma: Education

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK aid funding in response to the cyclone in Burma has been allocated to education; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: Although none of the Department for International Development's (DFID) cyclone relief assistance has been specifically allocated to education, the sector has benefited from our funding allocated to multi-sectoral programmes managed by UN agencies and non-governmental organisations, and from our support to the logistical effort needed to deliver aid supplies.
	Early in the cyclone relief effort it became clear that education programmes, such as those being undertaken by UNICEF and Save the Children, were relatively well funded by other donors. DFID therefore chose to focus support on other critical priorities which were less well funded such as food, shelter, health care, clean water and the restoration of people's livelihoods.
	Since around 75 per cent. of the cost of education in Burma is met by communities, the restoration of people's income-earning capacity will have an important effect on their ability to educate their children.
	DFID is now considering how best to assist recovery in the cyclone affected areas of Burma over the next two years, including possible direct support to the education sector.
	DFID's long-term funding to UNICEF and Save the Children for primary and pre-school education across Burma is continuing

Burma: Storms

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his counterparts in  (a) the European Union and  (b) the USA on funding for the second year of the response to the cyclone in Burma.

Douglas Alexander: Officials from the Department for International Development (DFID) participate in frequent meetings with other donors in Rangoon where future spending plans are discussed. These meetings are usually attended by representatives of the USA and the European Commission.
	DFID officials in Rangoon recently held discussions with the European Commission on the prospect of setting up a joint fund to support rural livelihoods, which will be critical to many of the most vulnerable households in the cyclone-affected area. DFID staff also undertook a joint review with the European Commission on UNICEF's education programme, which considered options for cyclone recovery funding over the next two years.
	DFID's own contribution to cyclone recovery activities for 2009 and 2010 is currently under consideration.
	In July, I wrote to a range of like-minded development Ministers urging them to offer generous support to the United Nations appeal for Burma. I have also offered support to the United Nations in its efforts to encourage other donors to contribute more to the Burma appeal. DFID and FCO staff have followed up these initiatives through bilateral contacts with other donors and in international fora.

Departmental Consultants

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1339W, on departmental consultants, on what projects expenditure was incurred in each of those years; how much was spent on each such project; and which consultants were employed on each such project.

Douglas Alexander: The answer of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1339W, provided the Department for International Development's (DFID) overall expenditure on consultancy contracts for the past five financial years. However, to provide a detailed list of expenditure against individual contracts for each of the last five years would incur disproportionate costs.
	A list of all contracts awarded since January 2005 is available on DFID's website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/procurement/contractslet.asp
	This includes the original contract value and the name of the consultant engaged to deliver each contract. The information published on our website does not cover lower value contracts issued by DFID departments or overseas offices under delegated authority. To provide details of contracts awarded prior to January 2005 would also incur disproportionate costs.

Departmental Consultants

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1339W, on departmental consultants, what his Department's projected spend on consultants is in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The use of consultancy is determined by the various divisions within the Department for International Development (DFID), on the basis of a clear business case. Most of DFID's consultancy expenditure is for services to the development programme, rather than for assistance with in-house tasks. The nature of development assistance means that DFID does not produce aggregate forecasts of consultancy expenditure.

Departmental Public Relations

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of  (a) entertainment,  (b) advertising and promotion and  (c) public relations consultancy to his Department in 2007-08.

Douglas Alexander: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The Department for International Development's (DFID) total spend on entertainment within administration cost budgets for 2007-08 was 271,587. This figure includes costs for working breakfasts and lunches, refreshments at meetings and official entertainment. All entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety.
	 (b) In financial year 2007-08, DFID's main advertising cost was for recruitment and procurement. Advertising for these purposes cost 242,652. Other promotional and advertising includes building knowledge and understanding of development (particularly in schools), working in-country to improve health or other outcomes, and consulting with key stakeholders on development policy and implementation. These costs are integrated in our programme. It is therefore not possible to disaggregate figures from overall budgets without incurring disproportionate cost.
	 (c) In financial year 2007-08, our communications division had only one contract at a cost of 84,961.59 + VAT.

Developing Countries: Natural Disasters

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what steps the Government has taken to improve the support given to developing countries immediately following natural disasters;
	(2)  what steps the Government has taken to encourage other countries to provide emergency service personnel to developing countries immediately after a natural disaster.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) gives substantial support to developing countries following natural disasters.
	DFID's natural disaster response has been scrutinised and praised in recent years by Parliament's International Development and Public Accounts Committees, by the National Audit Office and by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. We regularly monitor our own humanitarian responses and the partners that we fund, including through field visits to project sites. In the case of major disasters, there is usually an external scrutiny of the overall response. In the case of our Burma response, we are planning to supplement this with a thorough independent evaluation of our own contribution.
	DFID works closely with the Governments and other authorities of developing countries affected by natural disasters, both in operational response and through longer term programmes to help those countries with measures to reduce and mitigate disaster risks. Most lives saved in a natural disaster are saved in the immediate few days by family members, local people and local organisations.
	We encourage other countries to provide emergency personnel in several ways. We provide both funding and UK experts to the global United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordination (UNDAC) network which sends international teams to disaster zones. We also support the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism for disaster response by providing search and rescue capability and we co-operate with a number of fellow European countries to provide combined response through a network called the International Humanitarian Partnership.

Overseas Aid

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 993W, on overseas aid, what his Department's definition of a low value contract is.

Michael Foster: The answer of 13 October 2008,  Official Report , column 993W, referred to 'low value contracts' issued under delegated authority by the Department for International Development's (DFID) various UK departments and overseas offices. Our definition of low value contracts are those contracts issued with a financial value below the EU threshold for services (currently set at 90,319). The majority of low value contracts let under delegated authority have a value below 25,000.

Pakistan: Earthquakes

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government provided to the Government of Pakistan following the 2005 earthquake.

Douglas Alexander: In the first six months after the October 2005 earthquake the Department for International Development (DFID) provided 53 million for emergency relief to help the 3.5 million people affected. This support included the provision of water and sanitation, shelter, food and helicopter and aeroplane flights to get aid to where it was most needed.
	Since then, we have been working closely with the Government of Pakistan on the reconstruction and rehabilitation process with support totalling 49 million to date.

South America: Research

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 995W, on South America: research, what priority themes were identified by the International Development Research Centre for Asia and Latin America; when consideration of the studies will be completed; what the cost of the scoping work is expected to be; and how many training places have been created as a result of this work.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development has co-funded with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) scoping studies related to climate change adaptation research in Asia and Latin America.
	In Latin America as a whole, the priority adaptation research themes identified were agriculture, governance, health, social protection, migration, water, financial institutions and disaster risk reduction. Similar themes were identified in the Asia study.
	The total cost of the scoping work is expected to be around 600,000, of which DFID will contribute 400,000. DFID's consideration of the scoping work is expected to be complete by the end of March 2009.
	No training places were created as a result of the scoping studies.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies: Armed Forces

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of academies linked to schools associated with military establishments.

Jim Knight: There are no military organisations sponsoring academies, but a growing number of academies are developing Cadet Forces, sometimes in partnership with other schools.
	The Wellington Academy in Wiltshire will be close to a military base, and is working with the military and other partners to enrich the opportunities the Academy offers its students and local community. This also reflects the aspirations of the Academy's sponsor, Wellington College, which itself has military connections.

Academies: Sponsorship

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many private sponsors of  (a) existing and  (b) planned academies have had discussions with his Department about withdrawing from the programme; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: One sponsor, Amey, has discussed withdrawing from an existing academy. We are not in similar discussions with any other sponsors of open or planned academies.
	Since the first academies opened in 2002 one lead sponsor withdrew after signing a funding agreement, but before the academy opened. In this instance a new lead sponsor took over. There have also been two instances of co-sponsors withdrawing from projects after signing the funding agreement. On both occasions the other co-sponsors continued with the projects.

Academies: Sponsorship

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether any women have acted as individual sponsors of academy schools.

Jim Knight: There have not been any women acting as individual sponsors of academies, but there are a number of women who are part of a sponsorship team behind an academy, or who run the operations of sponsoring organisations.

Academies: Sponsorship

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what powers he has to dismiss any academy sponsor; and when those powers have been exercised.

Jim Knight: The Secretary of State may, at any time and in certain circumstances, by notice in writing, terminate the funding agreement with an academy sponsor. These circumstances include insolvency or if the academy trust has passed a resolution for its winding up. The Secretary of State may also terminate the funding agreement if the chief inspector gives a notice to the academy trust stating that in his opinion special measures are required to be taken in relation to the academy. However, he would usually only do so if the academy trust had not made and acted upon a written statement of the action the trust proposes to take, and the period within which it proposes to take such action. In all other circumstances the Secretary of State, or the academy trust, may give not less than seven academy financial years' written notice to terminate the funding agreement.
	The Secretary of State may appoint additional governors as he thinks fit if he has given the governors a warning notice in accordance with the articles of association and the governors have failed to comply with the notice to his satisfaction. With a majority of the governors, the Secretary of State would have the power to dismiss the sponsor, through amendments to the memorandum and articles.
	The Department carry out rigorous checks to establish the suitability of individuals and organisations to become sponsors of academies. These include checking their financial viability to supply the funds pledged as well as their general suitability.
	To date, the Secretary of State has not terminated a funding agreement with an academy trust, or flooded the governing body to dismiss an academy sponsor.

Adoption

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many adopted children waited longer than  (a) 12,  (b) 18,  (c) 24,  (d) 30,  (e) 36,  (d) 42 and  (e) 48 months to be adopted following the decision that adoption was in their best interests in each of the last five years, broken down by ethnicity.

Beverley Hughes: Information on looked after children adopted during the year ending 31 March 2008 can be found in the following table. Information for earlier years can be provided only at a disproportionate cost. The figures shown for the time between the decision that adoption was in the child's best interest and the date of the making of the adoption order are cumulative.
	
		
			  Looked after children adopted during the year ending 31 March 2008 by the time between the decision that adoption was in their best interest and the making of the adoption order: England 
			Number 
			Time between decisions that adoption was in the best interest and adoption 
			Over 12 months  Over 18 months  Over 24 months  Over 30 months  Over 36 months  Over 42 months  Over 48 months 
			 All children looked after/ adopted during the year 3,200 2,400 1,300 720 390 260 150 100 
			  Ethnic origin 
			 White 2,600 1,900 1,000 550 290 190 110 80 
			 Mixed 330 290 170 110 60 40 20 10 
			 Asian or British Asian 60 40 20 10 10
			 Black or Black British 110 100 80 40 30 30 20 10 
			 Other ethnic groups 30 20 10 10 10
			  Source:  SSDA903 return on children looked after. 
		
	
	Once the child has been placed for adoption with approved prospective adopters it is for them to decide when to apply to the court for an adoption order. However, the child has to live with the prospective adopters for 10 weeks preceding the application.

After School Clubs

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on  (a) after-school facilities and  (b) holiday clubs in each of the last 10 years.

Beverley Hughes: The Government have made a commitment that by 2010 all schools will be providing access to a core range of extended services, including a varied menu of activities from 8 am to 6 pm as well as provision during the school holidays. There are currently over 14,000 schools (65 per cent.) providing extended services.
	In order to support delivery of extended schools, significant funding has been made available. 840 million was made available between 2003 to 2008 and an additional 1.3 billion has been committed for the period 2008 to 2011.
	It is for each local authority, in consultation with schools and other children's services partners, to make decisions on how best to use this funding to support schools develop extended services, based on local needs. The Department centrally does not hold a breakdown of how much funding has been spent on particular elements of the core offer, including after-school facilities and holiday clubs.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department is planning to spend on the Building Schools for the Future programme in each year from 2011-12 to 2021-22; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Government are committed to the continued delivery of the Building Schools for the Future programme, as demonstrated by the recent consultation on future roll-out and our desire to bring new authorities into the programme as quickly as is practicable. However, planned spending on the programme from 2011-12 will be subject to future spending decisions.

Children: Asylum

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance his Department gives to local authorities on the placement of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who are suspected to be victims of human trafficking.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government recognise the particular vulnerability of unaccompanied asylum seeking children who may have been trafficked into the UK. This is why in December 2007 we issued Safeguarding Children who may have been Trafficked, to supplement the statutory guidance, Working Together to Safeguard Children. Paragraphs 7.55 to 7.64 of this further guidance provides information for local authorities about the steps they will need to take to ensure that any potentially trafficked child that they look after is effectively safeguarded.

Crayford Academy

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made on plans for the proposed Crayford Academy.

Jim Knight: The Crayford Academy is five months into the feasibility stage.
	The funding agreement is due to be submitted to the Secretary of State for approval in March 2009. If the Secretary of State approves the funds to move into the implementation stage, the planned opening will be in temporary accommodation in September 2009. The final outline business case approval is planned for March 2009 which will allow the new building to be occupied by September 2010.
	The LA statutory school closure has commenced and is due to be complete by 2 February 2009. The Academy's consultation commenced on 1 October and is due to complete by January 2009.

Departmental Civil Service Agencies

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many agencies were sponsored by his Department or its predecessors in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 1997-98.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Next Steps Report 1997 (Cm3889) provides information on all Executive agencies as at 31 December 1997. Copies are available from the Library of the House. The most up-to-date list of Executive agencies is published in the Cabinet Office publication The List of Ministerial Responsibilities. The latest version, incorporating recent ministerial changes, will be published shortly. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on upgrading its IT in each of the last three financial years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department for Children Schools and Families has spent the following amounts upgrading its IT in each of the last three full financial years.
	
		
			  Financial year   
			 2007-08 5,713,906 
			 2006-07 7,208,065 
			 2005-06 9,191,897 
		
	
	The Department has also spent 1,673,073 in the current financial year (2008-09) to date.

Departmental Publications

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which magazines and other publications his Department distributes to  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools on a regular basis.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department produces and distributes to  (a) primary schools a copy of Primary Teachers magazine. It also produces and distributes to  (b) secondary schools a copy of Secondary Teachers magazine.
	The Department also produces Governors magazine and distributes this to both primary and secondary schools.
	In addition, 10 issues of Spectrum are produced a year and distributed to all head teachers and chairs of governors. Spectrum provides schools with a summary of all the latest resources, publications, guidance and regulations.

Foster Care: Grandparents

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were fostered by a grandparent in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority.

Beverley Hughes: This information is not collected centrally by the Department.
	However, table A3, taken from the Statistical First Release (SFR 23/2008) entitled 'Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008' shows the number of children looked after by English local authorities, who were placed with a foster carer who was either a relative or friend at 31 March for each year from 2004 to 2008. The SFR is located at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000810/index.shtml
	and table A3 can be found within the first set of Excel tables on the website.

Further Education

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what surveys his Department has conducted to estimate the proportion of the school student population which wishes to stay on in full-time education beyond the age of 16 years; and what the findings were.

Jim Knight: There are a number of surveys which have been conducted by the Department which have asked young people about their intentions after age 16:
	 Longitudinal Study of Young People in England
	The Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) is a longitudinal (panel) study of young people. In the first interview or 'wave' of LSYPE (Spring 2004), sample members were asked at age 13/14 what their intentions were after Year 11. The results show that at age 13/14 78 per cent. of LSYPE respondents intended to stay on in full-time education either at the school they were currently attending or somewhere else. LSYPE did not ask about intentions to other learning routes.
	 Tellus2 and Tellus3
	Tellus2 and Tellus3 were national online surveys of pupils in years 6, 8 and 10, carried out to gather the views of children and young people on topics relating to the five Every Child Matters outcomes. The relevant question asked: What do you hope to do when you leave school? (Years 8 and 10 only). The results are as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Get a  j ob at 16  Study and get a job at 18  Study and go to university  Something else  Don't know 
			 Tellus2 average nationally 16 17 50 7 10 
			 Tellus3 average nationally 13 19 54 6 9 
		
	
	 Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Pilots
	Various surveys of 21,500 young people who were in their final year of compulsory education in 1999 or 2000 were carried out for the evaluation of the EMA pilots. 78 per cent. wanted to stay in full-time education after age 16, 18 per cent. wanted to enter work or training and 4 per cent. were undecided or wanted something else.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils stayed in education in 2008 after the age of 16 having attended a secondary school  (a) with and  (b) without a sixth form.

Jim Knight: The official measure of post-16 participation cannot be disaggregated by the type of secondary school previously attended. However, using matched administrative data, we can estimate post-16 participation rates by characteristics of the school attended at age 15, including whether or not that school had a sixth form. These estimates, shown in the following table, exclude post-16 participation in independent schools.
	
		
			  Participation of 16-year-olds in education and training by whether secondary school had a sixth form, mainstream maintained schools in England, 2006/07 
			  Percentage 
			   No sixth form  Sixth form  All mainstream maintained schools( 1) 
			 Full-time education 73 79 77 
			 Part-time education 4 3 3 
			 Work-based learning (WBL) 8 6 7 
			 Total education and WBL 85 88 87 
			 (1) Excludes special schools, pupil referral units and independent schools.  Source: Matched Administrative Data, 19 in 2009 cohort.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 7 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 590-91W, on the general certificate of secondary education, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing the requested information in full;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 7 October 2008,  Official Report, column 591W, on languages: general certificate of secondary education, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing the requested information.

Jim Knight: It was estimated that the cost of answering the closely related questions would be over 4,000.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils who did not gain a single grade C or above at GCSE in 2008 were resident in the 50 per cent. most deprived areas of the country.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department publishes the following GCSE attainment indicators by deprivation of residence in the National Pupil Database (NPD) Statistical First Release.
	Proportion of pupils at the end of key stage 4 achieving five or more A*-C grades;
	Proportion of pupils at the end of key stage 4 achieving five or more A*-C grades including English and Maths; and
	Proportion of pupils at the end of key stage 4 achieving any passes.
	2008 information will be published in December.

Gifted Children: Finance

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the budget of the Young Gifted and Talented programme is in 2008-09;
	(2)  what the value is of the contract awarded to CfBT to deliver the Young Gifted and Talented Programme.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The cost of the contract with CfBT for the Young Gifted and Talented (YG and T) programme is commercial in confidence. The Department has historically spent some 10 million to 20 million annually on the full national programme for gifted and talented education, of which YG and T now forms a significant part.

Higher Education: Admissions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to increase the number of people from low-income backgrounds who study at university.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	This Government remain totally committed to widening participation in higher education (HE), for those from poorer or other backgrounds which are currently under-represented. And we are making encouraging progressin the 2002/03 academic year, 27.9 per cent. of young full-time first degree entrants to HE came from lower socio-economic classes. By the 2006/07 academic year, this had risen to 29.8 per cent.an increase of 1.9 per cent. Alongside this, in the 2002/03 academic year, 44.1 per cent. of 18 to 20-year-olds from higher socio-economic classes participated in HE, compared with 17.5 per cent. of those from lower socio-economic classesa gap of 26.5 per cent. By 2006/07, the participation rate of higher socio-economic classes had fallen to 39.5 per cent. and that of lower socio-economic classes had risen to 19.0 per cent.reducing the gap by six percentage points to 20.5 per cent.
	There is a range of current and emerging interventions designed to widen participation in HE, including:
	(a) The Aimhigher programme, a national outreach programme which seeks to widen participation in HE through local partnerships of universities, colleges and schools which co-design and deliver activities to raise attainment, aspiration and application levels of young people from backgrounds currently under-represented in HE;
	(b) Aimhigher Associatesis a new mentoring scheme which will be piloted in late 2008 and rolled out nationally in 2009. Associates will be HE students who will provide targeted support for and sharing of personal experience with young people through key transitions in their school and/or college careers, with a view to enabling their successful application to HE;
	(c) the Higher Education Funding Council for England's Widening Participation Allocation, which supports the additional costs of recruiting and retaining students from non-traditional backgrounds; and
	(d) HEI/school linksthat are both structural and sustained. DIUS is promoting a range of ways in which universities can get involved with schools, including sponsoring academies and trusts.

National Assessment Agency: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the National Assessment Agency budget has been in each year since its establishment; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The National Assessment Agency (NAA) was launched in April 2004 to safeguard and modernise the delivery of exams, tests and assessment. It is a division of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). Its responsibilities have included delivery of national curriculum assessments and the exams modernisation programme. NAA's annual expenditure in each financial year since establishment has been:
	
		
			
			 2004-05 42,959,562 
			 2005-06 81,842,760 
			 2006-07 87,657,671 
			 2007-08 87,932,756

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  when Lord Sutherland's report on Key Stage Testing in 2008 will be published; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when Ofqual received Lord Sutherland's interim report into the management of the Key Stage tests in 2008; and if he will publish the interim report.

Jim Knight: Lord Sutherland is conducting an inquiry into the problems that occurred in 2008 with the delivery of national curriculum tests. Lord Sutherland met with the Ofqual Committee on 16 October to provide an update on the progress of his inquiry. Lord Sutherland has indicated that he does not intend to publish an interim report. The inquiry anticipates presenting the final recommendations to Ofqual and the Secretary of State before the end of the year and this report will be published.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when Ministers or officials from his Department met  (a) the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority,  (b) the National Assessment Agency and  (c) ETS to discuss the 2008 key stage tests between December 2007 and July 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Neither I nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State have met ETS. We do, however, regularly meet with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, of which the National Assessment Agency is a division. Recent meetings have included discussions on the administration and marking of key stage tests in 2008, which are now the subject of an independent inquiry being chaired by Lord Sutherland.
	DCSF officials also have regular meetings with QCA and NAA and have attended some joint meetings with NAA and ETS.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  for what reasons ETS was required to undertake face to face training for markers of the 2008 key stage tests, rather than online marking training; when this decision was made; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what requests were made by ETS for changes in the key stage 2 and 3 marking contract for the 2008 tests; which of these requests were  (a) granted and  (b) refused; how long it took for a decision to be made in each case; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many changes to the key stage 2 and 3 contract with ETS were made by  (a) the National Assessment Agency and  (b) the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority between September 2007 and July 2008; what the content was of each such change; when the changes were notified; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what warnings were given by ETS to  (a) the National Assessment Agency and  (b) the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority about risks in delivering the 2008 key stage tests in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008; when these were made; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  when ETS asked the National Assessment Agency and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to terminate its contract for the key stage tests; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is responsible for the development and administration of National Curriculum tests. The National Assessment Agency (NAA) administers the tests and managed the delivery contract with ETS Europe, on QCA's behalf.
	The contract awarded to ETS required face-to-face training of markers to continue as usual. During the procurement process suppliers were encouraged to offer improvements or innovations to improve marking quality.
	Schedule 1 of the contract required ETS to pilot and seek approval for innovations that did not replicate the existing process at the effective date of the contract. It was agreed that ETS would plan and conduct a pilot to ensure suitability and robustness.
	The NAA agreed to accept three of the proposed marking improvements, standardisation, benchmarking and online mark entry. NAA rejected mandatory online training for experienced maths and science markers, but allowed it to be used on an opt-in basis. The NAA believed online marker training could make an important contribution in later cycles. However, the marker ratings made it clear that the ETS online marker training as trialled would cause significant dissatisfaction and attrition during a critical period of the delivery cycle.
	ETS Europe first alerted the NAA concerning a potential failure in delivering the 2008 National Curriculum test results in late June 2008. The first without prejudice discussion at which ETS Europe indicated it may be interested in terminating the contract, occurred on 8 July 2008.
	The following table outlines the changes that were suggested for the 2008 test cycle.
	
		
			  Change control summary2008 National Curriculum test cycle 
			  Description  Date  Initiated by  Acceptance 
			 Statutory collection of reasons for KS3 absence 2 April 2007 DCSF NAA carried out this work 
			 Removal of year 7 progress tests from contract scope 2 April 2007 DCSF Accepted by NAA and ETS 
			 Provision of component level reviews for KS2 and KS3 English 2 April 2007 DCSF NAA carried out this work 
			 Provision of KS2 English item level results data 2 April 2007 DCSF Rejected by NAA and ETS 
			 Removal of KS3 ICT results data from contract scope 2 April 2007 DCSF Accepted by NAA and ETS 
			 Transportation security (request to remove the contractual requirement to 'double man' vehicles carrying bulk test material) 15 November 2007 ETS Rejected by NAA 
			 Fire security (request to remove the contractual requirement to install sprinkler systems in central distribution warehouse) 15 November 2007 ETS Accepted by NAA 
			 Additional CCTV cameras to improve security of central distribution warehouse) 1 February 2008 NAA Accepted by ETS 
			 Cost of providing face-to-face marker training for experienced Maths and Science markers following rejection of online training 12 February 2008 ETS Rejected by NAA 
			 Cost of 'additional' markers which ETS intended to recruit above 10,000 estimate 29 February 2008 ETS Rejected by NAA 
			 Publication of schools guide which ETS claim was not included in the definitive 'book of work' 29 February 2008 ETS Rejected by NAA 
			 Cost of 'additional' schools which ETS claimed were not specified in the contract 29 February 2008 ETS Rejected by NAA 
			 Cost of marking pilot which ETS claimed was more extensive than originally scoped 29 February 2008 ETS Rejected by NAA 
			 Cost of paying 'additional' fees to markers which were above those paid for 2007 29 February 2008 ETS Rejected by NAA 
			 Additional fees paid to KS2 and KS3 Maths markers to recognise high level of marks data entry required by this subject 27 May 2008 ETS Accepted by NAA (NAA met the cost of this change)

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons there was not a full-scale logistics pilot for the 2008 key stage 2 and 3 tests; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is responsible for the development and administration of national curriculum tests. The National Assessment Agency (NAA) administers the tests and managed the delivery contract with ETS Europe on QCA's behalf.
	ETS Europe did not propose a full-scale logistics pilot to the NAA for the 2008 KS2 and KS3 tests. In July 2007, ETS proposed a pilot involving a maximum of 100 schools. The final pilot proposal presented by ETS in December 2007 only required the involvement of 50 schools.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what options his Department has considered for the publication of key stage 2 test results for schools taking the single level tests; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: All schools' end of key stage 2 test results will continue to be published in the achievement and attainment tables.
	Schools whose pupils took single level tests in December 2007 and June 2008 have been notified of the outcome.
	The Making Good Progress pilot is being externally evaluated by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Analysis of the first two rounds of single level tests will be included as part of their interim report on the first year of the pilot; to be published later this year.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will publish the minutes of the meeting between the National Assessment Agency and Ofqual on 21 February 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold the minutes of meetings which take place between the National Assessment Agency (NAA) and the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual). The hon. Member may wish to approach the NAA and/or Ofqual directly for this information.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the statement of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 673-87, on national curriculum tests, for what reasons his Department has decided not to move to internal marking of key stage 2 tests with external moderation; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Key stage 2 results are a robust and consistent source of information for parents at a crucial transition point for their child as they move on to secondary school. The tests provide a view of the progress of every child, allowing teachers to best meet the needs of each child. The tests are also important in providing a suitable level of accountability for the public to hold national and local government and governing bodies to account on the performance of schools. It is appropriate that tests used for such purposes should be externally marked.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many companies have tendered to provide the 2009 Key Stage 2 standard assessment tests; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is responsible for the development and administration of national curriculum tests. The National Assessment Agency (NAA) administers the tests on QCA's behalf, including the 2009 procurement process.
	NAA advise that the Invitation to Tender for the 2009 procurement process has not yet ended. Information about the number of companies tendering for the work will not be released until a supplier has been appointed.

Pre-school Education

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  which local authorities are involved in the pilot schemes to extend the pre-school education entitlement to two-year-olds; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the take-up of the pre-school education entitlement among two-year-olds in each local authority participating in a pilot scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The pilot is currently operating in 32 local authorities and has benefited approximately 13,500 children. From January 2009 the extended pilot will operate in a further 31 local authorities and we anticipate that over a further 20,000 children will benefit. The full list of 63 local authorities is:
	Barking and Dagenham
	Barnsley
	Birmingham
	Blackburn
	Blackpool
	Bradford
	Brent
	Bristol
	Camden
	Cornwall
	Derbyshire
	Devon
	Doncaster
	Dudley
	Durham
	Ealing
	Enfield
	Essex
	Gloucestershire
	Greenwich
	Hackney
	Haringey
	Hartlepool
	Hertfordshire
	Hounslow
	Hull
	Islington
	Kent
	Knowsley
	Lambeth
	Lancashire
	Leeds
	Leicestershire
	Lewisham
	Liverpool
	Luton
	Manchester
	Middlesbrough
	Newcastle
	Newham
	Norfolk
	North Somerset
	Nottingham
	Peterborough
	Portsmouth
	Rochdale
	Rotherham
	Salford
	Sandwell
	Sheffield
	Slough
	South Tyneside
	Southwark
	Stoke
	Sunderland
	Telford and Wrekin
	Tower Hamlets
	Wakefield
	Waltham Forest
	Westminster
	Worcestershire
	Wolverhampton
	York.

Pre-school Education

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1133W, on pre-school education, what the timescale is for the pilots underway in 63 local authorities.

Beverley Hughes: 32 local authorities have been engaged in delivering a pilot, free early education entitlement for two-year-olds, since 2006. We have invited those local authorities, to participate in the extended scheme from 2008. A further 31 local authorities will commence delivery of the extended scheme in phases from January 2009. The extended scheme will run until April 2011.

Pre-school Education: Manpower

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) untrained staff and  (b) staff trained to level (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three working in (A) private, voluntary and independent sector and (B) maintained sector nurseries;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people with  (a) a Cache level three,  (b) a BTEC national diploma and  (c) an NVQ level three in childcare in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: The Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey collects information on staff qualifications that are relevant to working with children and young people. The qualifications are grouped together in the levels that they have been accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Table 1 shows the number of paid staff in full day care providers by the highest level of qualification held.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of paid staff in full day care providers by the highest level of qualification held, 2007( 1) 
			   Full day care providers: type of ownership 
			  Highest level of qualification held  Private number  Voluntary number  Local authority number  School/college number  Other number 
			 Level 1 650 450 60 90 0 
			 Level 2 16,600 5,100 700 950 500 
			 Level 3 65,900 14,000 5,900 5,500 2,400 
			 Level 4 or above 11,700 2,700 1,300 1,300 350 
			 No relevant qualification 9,300 3,000 700 700 250 
			 (1 )The figures within this table have been rounded. 
		
	
	DCSF does not hold data on the certificates issued by specific awarding bodies.

Pre-school Education: Manpower

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the additional number of staff who will have to enter the childcare sector to extend the free entitlement  (a) from 12 and a half to 15 hours and  (b) to all two year olds.

Beverley Hughes: Each local authority has a duty to secure the free early education entitlement in their area including the need to ensure that there are providers with appropriate staffing to enable them to do so. More details of the extension of the free early education entitlement for two-year-olds will be available in the child care strategy announced in June and to be published by the end of this year.

Primary Education: Class Sizes

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils of primary school age in maintained schools are in classes of  (a) fewer than 20,  (b) 20 to 24,  (c) 25 to 28,  (d) 29 to 30,  (e) 31 to 35,  (f) 36 to 40 and  (g) more than 40 pupils; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary schools( 1) : Classes taught by one teacher( 2) as at January 2008England 
			   Classes taught by one teacher 
			   Key Stage 1 classes( 3)  Key Stage 2 classes  Classes in maintained primary schools 
			  Classes of size:  Number of pupils  Percentage of pupils  Number of pupils  Percentage of pupils  Number of pupils  Percentage of pupils 
			 Less than 20 pupils 84,540 6.2 68,530 3.6 203,760 5.5 
			 20 to 24 pupils 273,590 20.0 284,630 14.8 649,420 17.5 
			 25 to 28 pupils 410,580 30.0 570,220 29.6 1,110,010 29.9 
			 29 to 30 pupils 574,390 42.0 598,890 31.1 1,246,740 33.6 
			 31 to 35 pupils 24,240 1.8 387,220 20.1 454,070 12.3 
			 36 to 40 pupils 380 0.0 18,200 0.9 34,110 0.9 
			 Greater than 40 pupils 140 0.0 840 0.0 8,500 0.2 
			 Total 1,367,860 100.0 1,928,530 100.0 3,706,620 100.0 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Classes as taught during a single selected period on the day of the Census in January. (3) Includes Reception classes.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census

Pupil Referral Units: Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupil referral units do not have provision for pupils with special educational needs, broken down by local authority.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: According to my Department's record of information supplied by local authorities at the time of registration, 366 pupil referral units catered for pupils with special educational needs and 184 pupil referral units did not indicate whether they catered for pupils with special educational needs. However, pupils with special educational needs are likely to be attending all types of school and other provision, so there are likely to be children with special educational needs in pupil referral units in addition to the 366.

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent per head of the population on education in  (a) rural and  (b) urban areas in 2007-08.

Jim Knight: The latest figures available are shown in the following table (2006-07). Figures for 2007-08 are still being collected and validated by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
	
		
			  Combined local authority and school based expenditure per pupil( 1) : 2006-07: Cash terms figures as reported by local authorities in England as at 15 October 2008( 2) 
			   Total combined LEA and school based expenditure1 ( per pupil) 
			 England 4,710 
			   
			 Predominantly urban local authorities(2) 4,730 
			 Predominantly rural local authorities(2) 4,540 
			 (1) Combined local authority and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in local authority maintained establishments and pupils educated by the authority other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). Certain elements of central local authority expenditure cannot be attributed to a particular phase of education and consequently a sector breakdown is not available. Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under fives funded by the authority and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and any other local authority maintained pupils. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis. (2) The classification of local authorities into those which are predominately urban and predominately rural is based upon The Rural and Urban Area Classification (2004) sponsored by the Countryside Agency (CA), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and the Welsh Assembly Government. Predominantly rural local authorities are classified as those which consist of more than 50 per cent. rural output areas.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average financial allocation per pupil was in  (a) Devon local authority area and  (b) England in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The revenue funding figures per pupil aged 3-19 in real terms for Devon local authority and the England average for years 2004-05 to 2005-06 are as follows:
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06 
			 Devon 3,960 4,160 
			 England 4,270 4,480 
		
	
	The revenue per pupil figures shown in the following table are taken from the dedicated schools grant (DSG) which was introduced in April 2006. They are not comparable with those for the years 2004-05 to 2005-06 because the introduction of the DSG in 2006-07 fundamentally changed how local authorities are funded.
	The 2004-05 to 2005-06 figures are based on Education Formula Spending (EFS) which formed the education part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. The DSG is based largely on an authority's previous spending. In addition, the DSG has a different coverage to EFS. EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions), whereas DSG covers only the school block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's Local Government Finance Settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. Consequently, there is a break in the Department's time series as the two sets of data are not comparable.
	To provide a comparison for 2006-07 DSG, the Department have isolated the schools block equivalent funding in 2005-06; as described above this does not represent the totality of education funding in that year.
	The figures are for all funded pupils aged 3-19 and are in real terms.
	
		
			   DSG baseline plus grants  DSG plus grants 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Devon 3,840 3,980 4,120 4,150 
			 England 4,230 4,370 4,530 4,560 
			  Note:  Price Base: Real terms at 2007-08 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30 September 2008.

Qualifications

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has for the future of BTEC qualifications.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In our 14-19 Qualifications Strategy we set out our criteria for public funding. We will in future direct funding to one of the four national routes: GCSE/A level; Diplomas; Apprenticeship and FLT.
	BTECs are currently available within Diplomas; Apprenticeships and FLT and will therefore continue to be eligible for public funding. We have stated our intention to reduce the number of qualifications taken as standalones including the BTEC. There will be a gradual and managed transition to the new 14-19 offer as the national suites become widely available, with the primary consideration being meeting the needs of learners.
	This will not impact on the availability of standalone vocational qualifications for adults.

Schools: Assessments

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people who were entered for a  (a) GCSE and  (b) A Level did not sit one or more exams in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold the information required to answer this question.

Schools: Bureaucracy

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what average proportion of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school teacher's working time was spent (i) completing Government-originated forms and (ii) classroom teaching in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold any information about the time teachers spend completing Government-originated forms.
	The available information on the average number of hours per week spent by teachers about different activities is published by the Office of Manpower Economics (OME) and summarised in the following table:
	
		
			  Average time worked per week by full-time classroom teachers, total hours and proportions spent on grouped activities (March 2008) 
			  Percentage 
			   Primary classroom teachers  Secondary classroom teachers 
			 Teaching 33 38 
			 PPA 33 30 
			 Non-teaching pupil/parent contact 11 14 
			 School/staff management 7 6 
			 General Admin. Support 9 6 
			 Individual/professional activity 6 5 
			 Other 1 1 
			 Total time on all working activities (hours) 52.2 49.9 
		
	
	These figures are based upon a sample survey of around 2,000 teachers in England and Wales during a single week in March 2008. The full report Teachers' Workloads Diary Survey was published in August 2008 and can be found on the OME website at:
	http://www.ome.uk.com/review.cfm?body=7

Schools: Land

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much land has been bought for educational use in England in  (a) the last 12 months and  (b) the last 10 years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We do not hold information on land that has been bought for educational use in England by local authorities or other educational organisations.

Schools: Land

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how educational land is valued for sale.

Jim Knight: Any application submitted for approval to sell a school playing field, under section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, must include a valuation for the land in question. This valuation must be provided by the district valuer or an independent professionally-qualified valuer. It is expected that schools or local authorities should only sell publicly owned land for best value.

Schools: Land

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the area of educational land is in England; and what the average amount of land per school is.

Jim Knight: Data on areas of school playing fields and external spaces were supplied to the Department by local education authorities in 2001 and 2003. However, the completeness and quality of data is insufficient to accurately assess the area of land in England that is occupied by schools for educational purposes, or to determine the average amount of land per school.

Schools: Land

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what restrictions are in place for the selling of educational land for residential use.

Jim Knight: Educational land generally comprises the school buildings and the playing fields. The Secretary of State's consent is not normally needed to sell school buildings. Before any school or local authority in England can sell a school playing field or any part of a school playing field, they must obtain the Secretary of State's consent, under section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. In the case of school buildings or playing field land which has been used in the last eight years for a community school, the local authority must seek confirmation from the Secretary of State that the land is not required for the purposes of an academy.
	Any subsequent use of land is a matter for the local planning authority.

Schools: Sport

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools in Peterborough offer competitive sports as part of their curriculum.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: All schools must provide competitive games activities, as this is a compulsory part of the physical education national curriculum.

Schools: Standards

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many national challenge schools will be entering national challenge trusts.

Jim Knight: We are continuing to talk to all local authorities with national challenge schools as they develop plans for school improvement, including national challenge trusts, and will look to develop national challenge trusts where that is the most appropriate way to meet schools' needs.

Schools: Stoke on Trent

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the likely effects on educational standards in Stoke-on-Trent over the next 10 years of the closure of Longton High School and Trentham High School.

Jim Knight: DCSF officials have asked the council to set out its vision for transforming secondary education through a 'Strategy for Change' for BSF. This strategy must explain how the council proposes to raise secondary school standards and aspirations over the next 10 years, and address falling pupil numbers in the city. It will be assessed by the Department when formally submitted. The proposed plans for schools in Stoke are part of a strategic approach and should not be viewed in isolation.

Secondary Education: Assessments

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students in maintained schools in September have begun working towards  (a) the Cambridge Pre-U examination and  (b) the International Baccalaureate.

Jim Knight: The Department does not currently hold this information.
	Information on the number of students entered for the Cambridge Pre-U exam and the International Baccalaureate in the 2008/09 academic year will be collected in the Autumn School Census (currently in progress). Initial results from the census will be available from January 2009.

Secondary Education: Finance

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average amount of funding per student was in comprehensive secondary schools of  (a) fewer than 100,  (b) 100 to 199,  (c) 200 to 299,  (d) 300 to 399,  (e) 400 to 499,  (f) 500 to 599,  (g) 600 to 699 and  (h) 700 and above in (i) rural and (ii) non rural areas in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The revenue funding that local authority maintained secondary schools in England receive (this excludes Academies) is a matter for individual local authorities to decide locally through their own local funding formulae (subject to satisfying the minimum funding guarantee for schools). Consequently, the amount of money allocated to each secondary school in England depends very much on the individual local authorities' own policy for funding their schools.
	The following table shows the cash terms figures as reported by local authorities as at 14 October 2008.
	
		
			  Children, Schools and Families Financial Data Collection (BUDGET): 2008-09total budget share plus revenue grants( 1,2)  per pupil( 3)  allocated( 1)  to local authority maintained secondary schools( 4,5)  at the start of the 2008-09 financial year: cash terms figures( 6)  as reported by local authorities as at 14 October 2008 
			   Urban( 5)  local authority maintained secondary schools( 4) 
			   Secondary schools (exc. middle deemed)  Middle deemed secondary schools  All secondary schools (inc. middle deemed) 
			   Number of schools  Average budget share plus grants per pupil ( per pupil)( 1,2,3,6)  Number of schools  Average budget share plus grants per pupil ( per pupil)( 1,2,3,6)  Number of schools  Average budget share plus grants per pupil ( per pupil)( 1,2,3,6) 
			 school size  100 pupils 0  0  0  
			 100 pupils = School size  200 pupils 3 7,830 3 4,570 6 6,180 
			 200 pupils = School size  300 pupils 11 6,550 13 4,290 24 5,310 
			 300 pupils = School size  400 pupils 28 5,930 34 3,840 62 4,780 
			 400 pupils = School size  500 pupils 65 5,710 41 3,600 106 4,900 
			 500 pupils = School size  600 pupils 98 5,440 28 3,430 126 5,000 
			 600 pupils = School size  700 pupils 164 5,280 17 3,510 181 5,110 
			 school size = 700 pupils 2,162 4,660 11 4,200 2,173 4,660 
			 Total (all school sizes) 2,531 4,720 147 3,710 2,678 4,690 
		
	
	
		
			   Rural( 5)  local authority maintained secondary schools( 6) 
			   Secondary schools (exc. middle deemed)  Middle deemed secondary schools  All secondary schools (inc. middle deemed) 
			   Number of schools  Average budget share plus grants per pupil ( per pupil)( 1,2,3,6)  Number of schools  Average budget share plus grants per pupil ( per pupil)( 1,2,3,6)  Number of schools  Average budget share plus grants per pupil ( per pupil)( 1,2,3,6) 
			 school size  100 pupils 0  1 5,340 1 5,340 
			 100 pupils = School size  200 pupils 5 6,890 8 4,850 13 5,710 
			 200 pupils = School size  300 pupils 6 5,980 17 4,050 23 4,550 
			 300 pupils = School size  400 pupils 16 5,150 19 3,660 35 4,350 
			 400 pupils = School size  500 pupils 22 4,900 27 3,540 49 4,160 
			 500 pupils = School size  600 pupils 40 4,560 6 3,420 46 4,420 
			 600 pupils = School size  700 pupils 50 4,400 4 3,350 54 4,320 
			 school size = 700 pupils 323 4,280 3 3,670 326 4,280 
			 Total (all school sizes) 462 4,340 85 3,670 547 4,290 
			 (1) Budget share plus grants is the combination of the schools individual budget share plus any revenue grants allocated to the school at the start of the financial year. For 2008-09 this comprises of the Total Budget Share plus any School Standards Grant (including personalisation), School Development Grant, Other Standards Fund Allocation, Threshold and Performance Pay and Support for Schools in Financial Difficulty allocated to schools at the start of the 2008-09 financial year. This does not include any capital funding allocated to schools. (2) The amount of money allocated to a school depends very much on the individual local authorities' own policy for funding their schools. Different authorities retain varying amounts of funding centrally to spend on behalf of their schools while others chose to give schools more autonomy over how they spend their money by delegating more funding to the individual school. (3) The pupil numbers used to calculate the per pupil amounts and school size are as reported by the local authority on their Section 52 Budget Statement comprising of the full time equivalent number pupils registered at the school used for the initial determination of the school's budget share under the local authority's allocation formula. (4) Figures for secondary schools include any LSC funding and LSC pupils for schools with 6(th) forms. Excluded from the tables are any secondary schools which were reported as either opening or closing during the 2008-09 financial year. (5) The urban/rural classification is drawn from the Edubase (the DCSF database of educational establishments). (6) Funding figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Funding data are drawn from local authorities' 2008-09 Children, Schools and Families Budget Statements (Table 2) submitted to the DCSF. 5. The urban/rural classification is drawn from the Edubase (the DCSF database of educational establishments).

Social Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department has taken to monitor trends in out-of-area placements made by social services.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since 2005-06, the SSDA903 collection of data concerning looked after children has contained information on:
	the local authority of placement at 31 March for children looked after on that date; and
	the distance in miles between their address at 31 March and their address immediately before entering care.
	Information derived from these data was used in developing the Children and Young Person's Bill clause that is concerned with the provision of accommodation and maintenance for children who are looked after by a local authority.

Social Workers: Vacancies

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the vacancy rates for child social workers were in England in each year since 2001, broken down by local authority.

Beverley Hughes: Children and family social workers are employed directly by local authorities and other employers; information on vacancy rates by local authority is not collected centrally. Ofsted publishes information on overall vacancy rates for Social Services Department posts for children and families by local authority as part of the annual performance assessment. According to this measure, the number of vacant children and family Social Services Department posts fell from 12.1 per cent. in 2004-05 to 11 per cent. in 2006-07. The Local Authority Workforce Intelligence Group published vacancy rate data on children and family social workers between 2002 and 2006, showing a national reduction in vacancy rates from 12.6 per cent. in 2002 to 9.5 per cent. in 2006.

Specialised Diplomas

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the total cost of the implementation of the diploma programme.

Jim Knight: We have spent 65.2 million on diplomas during the last three years. We are providing additional funding to support diploma delivery and capacity building over the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) years; over the next three years we are making an additional 373.8 million available to support the diploma programme.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to publish an estimate of the number of children studying for diplomas in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Secretary of State made a statement in the House of Commons on 13 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 532-33, about the number of young people who have embarked on a diploma course.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils he expects to enrol on a new diploma course in September  (a) 2009,  (b) 2010 and  (c) 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We will not know how many students will begin a diploma course in  (a) 2009,  (b) 2010 or  (c) 2011 until after young people begin to make choices about their options. For 2009 enrolment, young people will begin to make choices next year.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools he expects to offer one or more new diploma courses starting in September  (a) 2009,  (b) 2010 and  (c) 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: 307 consortia are approved to offer one or more diplomas from September 2009. A total of 3394 institutions are involved with these consortia, including 2205 maintained secondary schools and 62 Academies. We do not yet have figures for 2010 or 2011 delivery.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate of the number of students who will begin a diploma course in 2009-10 is; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We will not know how many students will begin a diploma course in 2009-10. For 2009 enrolment, young people will begin to make choices next year.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to introduce a general diploma.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The 14-19 diploma is being introduced in four phases between 2008 and 2011. By 2011 there will be 17 lines of learning covering a wide range of employment sectors and subjects, and we will be introducing a national entitlement to the diploma from 2013. The full range of diploma qualifications will allow all young people who wish to do so to follow a course of study which combines applied and theoretical learning within a coherent overall framework built around core skills of literacy and numeracy. We do not have any plans to introduce a further, general diploma at this time. The Government have, however, committed to carrying out a full review of 14-19 qualifications, including the diploma, in 2013.

Teachers: Males

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many qualified full-time male secondary school teachers were working as teachers in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority;
	(2)  how many qualified full-time male primary school teachers were working as teachers in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority.

Jim Knight: Information on gender of teachers is available from the Database of Teacher Records which is collected primarily for pensions administration purposes. Figures from this source are only considered sufficiently reliable to publish as percentages at the national level.
	Information on the proportion of teachers by gender is available at an aggregate level for England and this has been published in table D2 of the School Workforce Statistical First Release, January 2007 (Revised) at the following web link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000743/index.shtml
	The school work force census planned for 2010 will provide more detailed information on the school work force at local authority level.

Teachers: Males

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) primary schools,  (b) secondary schools did not have a qualified full-time male teacher in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The requested information is not held centrally.

Teachers: Pay

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average starting salary of a  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school teacher (i) in England, (ii) in London and (iii) outside London was at the latest date for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the average salary of newly qualified teachers in full-time regular service in local authority maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in England, March 2006.
	
		
			  Average salary of newly qualified teachers( 1)  in full-time regular service in local authority maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools( 2) , March 2006, London, outer London and England 
			   
			   London  Outer London  England 
			 Nursery/Primary 23,150 22,710 20,270 
			 Secondary 23,900 23,520 20,540 
			 (1) Teachers included are those who attained qualified teacher status in 2005. Those gaining QTS via employment-based routes are excluded. (2) Excludes city technology colleges and academies.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Database of Teacher Records.

Teachers: Qualifications

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to increase the number of primary teacher training  (a) undergraduate and  (b) postgraduate courses with a language specialism.

Jim Knight: We have been taking a range of measures to boost the primary school teaching work force to prepare for languages becoming compulsory in primary schools in 2011. In total nearly 4,000 trainees had graduated through the primary initial teacher training course in a languages specialism by the end of the 2007/08 academic year. More trainees will be funded for this course, including a projected 900 in 2008/09.
	The Training and Development Agency for Schools is also piloting this year, in partnership with 10 ITT providers, additional routes to boost the primary work force teaching languages. A projected 3,000 trainees will go through these courses in 2008/09. Of these trainees, about one third are postgraduate trainees and two thirds undergraduate trainees.

Teachers: Training

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what schemes co-ordinated by  (a) his Department and  (b) local authorities that provide opportunities for experienced, recently retired teachers to act as mentors for existing subject staff in schools on a voluntary or paid basis are in operation.

Jim Knight: This Department does not co-ordinate such schemes. It is for local authorities or schools to decide whether to pursue them based on local needs and the availability of retired teachers. No information on local schemes is held centrally.

Truancy

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 818W, on truancy, how many pupils have had a recorded unauthorised half-day absence while in Year  (a) 9,  (b) 10 and  (c) 11 in each of the last three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It is not possible, given the amount of analysis required, to provide a response to this question within the time frame required by Parliament. The requested information will be placed in the House of Commons Library within 10 working days.